A lack of run support was the only disappointing aspect of veteran right-hander Charlie Morton’s Detroit Tigers debut on Sunday. Morton delivered six quality innings against the Philadelphia Phillies, but the Tigers fell 2-0.
Morton, the second-oldest player in the majors at age 41 (Justin Verlander of the San Francisco Giants is 42), will make his second start for his new team against the visiting Los Angeles Angels on Saturday.
Morton (7-9, 5.20 ERA) gave up one run on four hits Sunday, walking one and striking out six. He had a stretch of five consecutive strikeouts.
“He was good,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “He held it together and showed a lot of life. He remained calm under pressure and put us in a good position to have a chance.”
Morton was making his 400th career start but pitched like he was in his prime.
“I started to get a better feel probably for my breaking ball, even my changeup,” he said. “Just a good mix and better locations.”
The Tigers acquired him from Baltimore just before the trade deadline last week. Morton got off to a woeful start to the season with the Orioles, losing his first seven decisions. He has battled back, giving up three or fewer runs in 10 of his past 12 starts.
The Tigers are counting on him as a regular part of the rotation as they try to hang onto their lead in the American League Central.
“He’s steady. He never gets too high or too low,” Hinch said. “He’s done it, seen it, experienced it. He’s gotten some of the most important outs, and he’s also had to fight and claw his way back into being a factor this year.”
Morton is 6-2 with a 3.34 ERA in 14 career appearances against the Angels.
Angels starter Yusei Kikuchi (5-7, 3.22 ERA) also is coming off a sharp outing. The veteran left-hander held the Tampa Bay Rays to one run and four hits while striking out seven in six innings on Monday. His teammates staked him to a 4-1 lead during the first three innings of a 5-1 victory.
“Getting the third and fourth runs there was very big,” Kikuchi said through an interpreter. “I was able to pitch with the lead there. And I just made sure that I didn’t give up any big hits or home runs. I was just able to attack the zone after that.”
Kikuchi is 1-2 with a 5.82 ERA in seven career starts against the Tigers.
Detroit won the series opener in dramatic fashion. Matt Vierling blasted a pinch-hit, three-run homer in the eighth inning to lift the Tigers to a 6-5 win.
Vierling’s homer was his first of the season. He had two stints on the injured list due to a right shoulder injury. He notched a career-best 16 homers last season.
The Angels blind-sided Detroit ace Tarik Skubal with back-to-back homers from Gustavo Campero and Zach Neto to take a 4-3 lead in the fifth and knock Skubal out of the game, but the bullpen couldn’t hold it.
Los Angeles’ Mike Trout remains two homers shy of the 400 career mark. He had one single in four at-bats.
“I look forward to when it happens,” Trout said of the milestone home run. “It should be pretty cool.”
–Field Level Media
