Tigers clinch – Detroit starts Saturday afternoon with a 4-3 home win over the Chicago White Sox on Friday night, and will turn to right-hander Troy Melton for a bounce-back outing at Comerica Park as they seek to clinch the series.
The Detroit Tigers got just enough offense on Friday night to stop the bleeding at home. A 4-3 win over the Chicago White Sox in the opener of their three-game series gave Detroit its first victory against Chicago this season in four tries.
The game didn’t come clean. Starter Tarik Skubal, in his second start after returning from the injured list, ran into trouble. Even so, the offense kept producing when it mattered, and the bullpen settled things down with 3 1/3 innings of one-hit ball.
Saturday afternoon brings a different kind of pressure: Detroit is aiming to clinch the series at Comerica Park, and right-hander Troy Melton will be the one tasked with flipping momentum after what was easily his worst outing of the year.
Melton (25) was shelled by the Minnesota Twins in his previous start. He surrendered four runs, all four coming via solo home runs, on eight hits, while walking nobody. He struck out five over five frames. but the final still landed on a 10-4 scoreline. with Detroit’s offense forced to play from behind.
The Tigers won’t have to dig too far for a reference point. Earlier this season against the White Sox. Melton looked far more like the form he needs now—posting a quality start in seven innings of one-run ball on six hits and a walk. while striking out just one. That game ended in extra innings, and the Tigers ultimately lost 4-3.
Put together, Friday’s narrow win and Melton’s record against Chicago set up a simple question for Saturday: can he deliver the kind of steady start that turns a close series into a clinch?
No starter for Saturday’s game has been announced as of the time of writing.
The numbers frame the moment. Detroit enters the series at 31-44, while Chicago sits at 39-35. First pitch on Saturday is 1:10 p.m. ET at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan.
Game 76 lists Troy Melton for the Tigers with a 3-0 record and a 2.81 ERA. The White Sox starter remains TBA.
Detroit Tigers Chicago White Sox Troy Melton Tarik Skubal Comerica Park series clinch MLB