DETROIT — Every loss feels devastating for the Tigers these days. But this last one might leave a mark.
Until Dillon Dingler launched his 19th home run in the bottom of the ninth, the Tigers had managed just three singles and struck out 13 times. The solo homer was too little, too late and the Houston Astros took the first of a three-game series at Comerica Park Thursday night, 2-1.
After winning the first four games on this homestand, they’ve lost three straight.
This one felt extra wasteful.
Troy Melton, who gave up a home run to the first batter he faced in his last start and nothing else over six innings, flirted with perfection for five-plus innings against the Astros.
And it ended up being the second-best pitching performance in this game. The Tigers struck out 10 times in six innings against Astros’ right-hander Tatsuya Imai and posed no threat against relievers AJ Blubaugh and Enyel De Los Santos.
It was abundantly clear right from the start that Melton brought his top-shelf stuff.
The velocity on all his pitches was up, especially on his four-seam fastball, which he was ripping at 97, 98 and 99 in the first inning. His cutter, too, was hitting 95 mph.
He struck out Jeremy Pena and Yordan Alvarez in the first inning. Then he punched out Christian Walker and Jose Altuve in the second.
He was rolling.
He set down the first 16 hitters. But with one out in the sixth, the fun stopped.
Melton left a slider up over the plate and Astros’ centerfielder Taylor Trammell hooked it just inside the foul pole in right field for his second home run this season.
He gave up a two-out single before ending another stellar performance.
He struck out six and got 15 whiffs on 51 swings. The homer by Trammell was the only hard-hit ball against him.
Even after 88 pitches, the velocity ticked up on all of his pitches. His four-seam fastball was up 1.3 mph to 97, his cutter up 2.3 mph to 93, his slider up 2.8 to 88.5 and his sinker up 1.3 mph to 96.
It was impressive, too good to leave the game trailing.
But the Tigers weren’t having any fun against Imai, either. Riley Greene’s two-out single in the fourth and Kevin McGonigle’s one-out single in the sixth were the only hits they could muster.
Imai, who throws just two pitches, a four-seamer and slider, struck out 10. The Tigers whiffed 14 times on 23 swings at his slider and took 10 fastballs for strikes.
The Astros manufactured a run against Kenley Jansen in the ninth. Almost as if to show the Tigers how easy it can be to score a run sometimes, Jeremy Pena singled, stole second, went to third on ground out and scored on a sacrifice fly by Isaac Paredes.
All losses count the same in the standings, but this one might leave a deeper bruise on the Tigers’ psyche.