DETROIT — It just doesn’t stop for the Tigers.
Even on a day when they won a series against division rival Cleveland, beating the Guardians 2-1 in the finale on the strength of two solo home runs, there were issues. Health issues.
Rookie Elvin Rodriguez had cruised through four innings Sunday in his second big-league start and had a 1-0 lead when he went back out for the fifth.
A few minutes later, head athletic trainer Doug Teter was on the mound, Rodriguez was trying to stretch out some tightness in his leg and then limped off the field. Another starting pitcher down, though he shouldn't be down for long.
The Tigers announced he was experiencing cramping in his lower body.
An inning earlier, Robbie Grossman was pulled out of the game after just one at-bat. He was filling in as the designated hitter because Miguel Cabrera was sitting out with tightness in his lower back. Grossman popped out to third in the first inning and didn’t return.
Jeimer Candelario, who was supposed to have the day off, was inserted into the DH spot.
And in Candelario’s first at-bat, he nearly took out first base coach Gary Jones. He scalded a liner foul that struck Jones in the leg. Jones fell awkwardly but after a few minutes was helped back up and he stayed in the game.
Coming into the game, the Tigers’ injured list was 12 players deep, half of them starting pitchers.
Just an insane run of bad fortune.
Rodriguez, keeping the Cleveland hitters off balance with a lively fastball (93-95 mph) and change-up, allowed two singles and struck out four in his four innings. And the Tigers had finally scratched Guardians’ starter Triston McKenzie.
McKenzie in four previous starts against the Tigers had given up only two runs in 23 innings and he blew through the first three innings Sunday allowing only a single to Derek Hill.
But with one out in the fourth, white-hot Harold Castro lined a hanging slider just over the fence in left field. The oppo shot was his fourth on the season and his third in five days.
Candelario came through in the sixth, lining a curve ball from McKenzie into the seats in right field. It was his third hit in 27 at-bats, two of them homers. He’s got five on the season.
The Tigers’ bullpen was tasked with making those two runs stand up.
After Wily Peralta and Alex Lange processed seven outs, with Lange striking out a pair in 1.1 innings, the Guardians pushed across a run against lefty Andrew Chafin in the seventh. Singles by Andres Gimenez and pinch-hitter Owen Miller set up a sacrifice fly by Luke Maile.
Michael Fulmer worked a scoreless eighth and he got some sterling defensive work behind him.
Shortstop Javier Báez made a tough backhand stab on a hard-hit ball by speedy Myles Straw. First baseman Spencer Torkelson made an even better play to stretch, keep his foot on the base and scoop the ball out of the dirt.
The next hitter, Amed Rosario hit a bullet into the gap in right-center. The ball left his bat with an exit velocity of 103 mph. But right fielder Daz Cameron got a good jump on it and ran it down.
Statcast had a 60% hit probability on the play.
After Jose Ramirez walked and stole second, Fulmer dotted a two-strike slider that caught Josh Naylor looking for the third out.
That left the ninth in closer Gregory Soto's hands.
The win was just the Tigers' seventh in 27 games against the Guardians at Comerica Park.
