Torkelson lifts Tigers to 6-5, 10-inning win over Braves, stops 9-game skid
DETROIT - Spencer Torkelson sparked a three-run, ninth-inning rally against Raisel Iglesias with a two-run homer and hit a game-ending single in the 10th, lifting Detroit over the Atlanta Braves 6-5 on Monday night to stop the Tigers' nine-game losing streak.
Andy Ibañez began the comeback from a 4-0 deficit with a seven-inning homer and threw out Sam Hilliard at the plate from left field in the 10th as Detroit improved to 7-3 in extra-inning games this year.
Atlanta's Marcel Ozuna was hit on the right wrist by a pitch from Garrett Hill in the fourth and left the game one inning later with what the Braves said was a bruise.
Atlanta led 5-2 when Jonathan Schoop singled off Iglesias (2-3) leading off the ninth and Torkelson drove a sinker 440-feet to left-center for his sixth homer.
Kerry Carpenter singled, Javier Báez struck out and Nick Maton bounced into a forceout at second, speeding down the first-base line to avoid a game-ending double play,.
Matt Vierling, activated from the injured list after recovering from a sore back, singled and Zach Short tied the score when he singled to left on a changeup with a 1-2 count. Iglesias struck out Ibañez, sending the game to extra innings.
Ibañez came up with the big throw when Eddie Rosario hit a 238-foot flyout off Alex Lange (4-2). Hilliard tried to get his right arm around catcher Jake Rogers' left leg on a headfirst slide but was called out by plate umpire Jordan Baker, a decision that ended the inning and was upheld in a video review.
With Ibañez on second as the automatic runner, Rogers popped up a bunt against former-Tiger Joe Jiménez (0-2) that Austin Riley tried to scoop but hit the tip of the third baseman's glove and bounced under for what was scored a sacrifice and an error.
With the infield and outfield in. Schoop lined to Jiménez and Torkelson hit a 351-foot fly that fell behind the outfield for a winning single.
Atlanta lost for the first time in four extra-inning games this year.
Braves starter Charlie Morton allowed four hits in 5 2/3 scoreless innings with eight strikeouts and three walks.
Atlanta built a four-run lead on Ozzie Albies’ second-inning sacrifice fly, Ronald Acuña Jr.'s two-run double against Garrett Hill in the fifth and Acuña's bloop to short right in the sixth that was turned into a forceout at second as Albies scored.
Ibañez homered off Collin McHugh, but Michael Harris II homered in the eighth off Tyler Alexander for a 5-1 lead. Short had an RBI single in the bottom half.
UP NEXT
Rookie RHP Reese Olson (0-1, 2.70) starts Tuesday night for Detroit and ace RHP Spencer Strider (6-2, 3.79) for the Braves. Rain is forecast for much of the day.