Spencer Torkelson scored the tiebreaking run in the 10th inning on Monday night for the visiting Detroit Tigers, who continued their perfect start to the season with a 5-0 win over the New York Mets.
Torkelson, the automatic runner to start the 10th, took third on Riley Greene’s leadoff groundout. Mark Canha was then hit by a pitch, and Torkelson scored on Colt Keith’s grounder to second. Joey Wendle tried turning a double play but lost the ball as he whirled to the bag, allowing everyone to reach safely.
Gio Urshela legged out an infield single to load the bases, after which Javier Baez lofted a sacrifice fly. Carson Kelly followed with a three-run homer for the Tigers, who have won their first four games of the season for the first time since 2015.
Jason Foley (1-0) allowed one hit in the ninth and earned the win.
Baez and Andy Ibanez each singled for Detroit, who managed only four hits.
Michael Tonkin (0-1) allowed the five 10th-inning runs, all of which were unearned.
Starling Marte had two of the five hits collected by the Mets, who have lost their first four games for the first time since 2005.
Both starting pitchers performed well in no-decisions.
Sean Manaea, making his first start with the Mets after signing a two-year deal in January, tossed six innings of one-hit ball in which he walked two and struck out eight. Detroit’s Reese Olson gave up three hits and walked two while striking out three in 5 2/3 innings.
Manaea retired the first 12 batters he faced before walking Greene. The left-hander allowed just four hard-hit balls in the first five innings, three of them flyouts to center fielder Harrison Bader.
Kelly walked with one out in the sixth for the Tigers’ second baserunner. He went to second on Matt Vierling’s groundout and was waved home on Ibanez’s two-out single, but he was thrown out easily by left fielder Brandon Nimmo.
The Mets had baserunners against Olson in every inning except the third, but the right-hander held the Mets hitless in eight plate appearances with runners on. Francisco Alvarez chased him with a two-out double in the sixth, but Will Vest then retired DJ Stewart on a foul fly to left.
–Field Level Media
