Alex Wilson, the Detroit Tigers' most experienced reliever, lost a three-run lead when he surrendered a grand slam to Jed Lowrie in the eighth inning. The Oakland Athletics beat the Tigers 9-8 Tuesday night at Comerica Park.
The Tigers had a chance to quickly retake the lead in the bottom of the inning. Nicholas Castellanos' towering fly fell just short of the wall. His double put runners at second and third with nobody out, but the Tigers failed to get either of them home.
Tigers starter Chad Bell struck out three of the first four batters he faced but was knocked out of the game in the fourth inning. Six relievers followed. Bell has averaged only 3 2/3 innings in his four starts this month and could be sent to the bullpen if the Tigers need to find room for Jordan Zimmermann, who will return on Thursday.
NOTABLE
Alex Presley's home run in the fifth inning was the 5,693rd of the 2017 season, tying a Major League record.
A few moments later in Toronto, another Alex -- Kansas City Royals outfielder Alex Gordon -- hit the record-breaking homer.
Presley finished with four hits and was just a triple short of the cycle. He doubled in the first inning but was thrown out at third base trying to stretch his hit into a triple. Presley appeared to stumble slightly rounding second base and he was thrown out easily.
Tigers second baseman Ian Kinsler hit his 20th home run of the season Tuesday.
He's now reached that milestone five times in his career -- in 2007, 2009, 2011, 2016 and 2017.
Nicholas Castellanos extended his career-best 16-game hitting streak with a home run in the sixth. The streak is the longest by a Tiger since Austin Jackson in 2012.
In relief of Bell, Warwick Saupold allowed one run in two innings and Drew VerHagen allowed one run in an inning.
Wilson was ambushed by the A?s in the eighth: Three consecutive hitters singled to leftfield before Lowrie?s grand slam. The Tigers tried to mount a comeback the next half inning, when Miguel Cabrera singled and Nick Castellanos doubled to open the inning, but could not score the game-tying run.
https://www.mlb.com/gameday/athleti...359#game_state=final,game_tab=box,game=492359
Boxscore.
ROARS
Alex Presley - 4-6 at the plate with a home run, double and two singles. He nearly hit for the cycle but was thrown out in the first inning trying to stretch a bobbled double into a triple.
Ian Kinsler - His second homer in two days, but his only hit of the night, he?s turned it on a bit in the second half.
Nick Castellanos - The kid keeps on hitting, going 2-5 with a homer and a double.
HISSES
Alex Wilson - Just a very bad day for Wilson, who could not retire a batter in the 8th before the lead was gone on one swing.
Mikie Mahtook - Had a couple big opportunities late in the game after coming in to pinch hit in the fifth for Collins but couldn?t deliver a big hit.
STATS and INFO
The home run Alex Presley hit in the 5th inning was the 5,693rd of the year, which tied the all time MLB season record. Alex Gordon would hit the record breaker.
Kinsler has now hit 20 or more home runs in 5 seasons in his career, this was the first time he?s done it in consecutive years though.
Nick Castellanos extended his hitting streak to 16 games with his home run in the 6th.
The Tigers remain in 4th place in the 2018 draft, 1.5 games back of the White Sox who lost tonight in Houston.