Dillon Dingler hit his first career grand slam and Kevin McGonigle and Ben Malgeri also homered to lead the Detroit Tigers to a 13-1 victory over the Athletics on Friday night at West Sacramento, Calif.
Javier Baez had three hits and three RBIs and Max Clark had three hits, two runs and an RBI in his major league debut for the Tigers, who broke the game open with 11 runs over the final two innings. Spencer Torkelson had three hits and scored three times while Dingler added two hits for Detroit.
With the trade deadline arriving Monday, the Tigers scratched right-hander Casey Mize on Friday and went with a bullpen game.
Tyler Holton was the first pitcher, and he gave up one run and one hit in two innings. Ty Madden (1-0) allowed two hits over three shutout innings, Drew Sommers struck out three in two perfect innings and Enmanuel De Jesus finished up with two scoreless frames.
Jonah Heim drove in the lone run for the Athletics, who have dropped six of seven games and 27 of 34.
Starter Jeffrey Springs (3-11) allowed two runs and four hits over four innings. He walked five and struck out two and is winless in his past 18 starts.
The Tigers tied the score at 1 with one out in the third when McGonigle smacked a 3-1 fastball over the wall in center, the 10th homer of his rookie season.
One inning later, Torkelson walked and Clark singled to left for his first big-league hit. After Baez lined out, Malgeri walked to load the bases before McGonigle hit a sacrifice fly to right to score Torkelson.
The Tigers created distance in the eighth with a seven-run uprising.
Pinch hitter Eduardo Valencia doubled and Torkelson singled to start the inning. Clark doubled to the wall in left to give Detroit a 3-1 lead and end Brady Basso’s outing.
Luis Morales entered and Baez hit a blooper over the head of second baseman Jeff McNeil to knock in Torkelson. Malgeri hit a bouncer to third that was booted by Tommy White as Clark scored to make it 5-1.
McGonigle walked before Gleyber Torres was retired on a scorching liner hit directly at shortstop Jonathan Ornelas, who was making his Athletics debut. Dingler followed with his grand slam, a shot over the wall in center that increased the lead to 9-1. The homer was his team-leading 23rd of the season.
Detroit poured it on in the ninth as Torkelson singled, Clark doubled and Baez hit a two-run ground single. Malgeri followed with his first career homer to left to make it 13-1.
The Athletics struck in the opening inning when Jacob Wilson walked with one out and scored on Heim’s RBI double to center.
–Field Level Media
