Detroit Tigers' Spencer Torkelson blasts home run in 9th inning for 2-1 win over White Sox
In the latest clash, Alexander shut down the Tigers as a bulk reliever for the Chicago White Sox.
But the Tigers took down the White Sox with a 2-1 win in the opener of a three-game series Monday, Aug. 11, at Rate Field. Spencer Torkelson provided the lead in the ninth inning with a solo home run off the left-field foul pole, then a sudden rainstorm delayed the game for more than an hour.
JEFF SEIDEL: Tigers' July was awful — but it clearly set them up for success in August
The Tigers (69-51) have won back-to-back games, including three of their last four games — and nine of their last 14 games, dating back to July 27.
In the ninth, Torkelson crushed a middle-middle 90.4 mph fastball from left-handed reliever Brandon Eisert. The 25-year-old pulled the second pitch of the matchup down the left-field line, with the ball deflecting off the left-field foul pole.
The homer put the Tigers ahead, 2-1.
It was Torkelson's 26th homer in 114 games.
To secure the win, right-handed reliever Kyle Finnegan — whom the Tigers acquired from the Washington Nationals at the July 31 trade deadline — recorded the final two outs in the eighth inning, but before Finnegan could return for the ninth inning, the Tigers and White Sox experienced a 63-minute rain delay.
The rain delay forced the Tigers to use right-handed reliever Will Vest in the ninth inning.
Vest wasn't fazed by the rain delay.
He slammed the door on the White Sox in the bottom of the ninth: Lenyn Sosa (strikeout), Andrew Benintendi (groundout) and Luis Robert Jr. (groundout).
It was Vest's 17th save.
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Chris Paddack starts
The Tigers acquired right-hander Chris Paddack from the Minnesota Twins before the trade deadline. The 29-year-old has made three starts for the Tigers since the trade.
Paddack has been hit hard in all three starts: 96.4 mph exit velocity on 18 balls in play against the Arizona Diamondbacks, 94 mph exit velocity on 18 balls in play against the Twins and 95.5 mph exit velocity on 15 balls in play against the White Sox.
That's a problem that could haunt Paddack.
The good news: Paddack had success against the White Sox, allowing one run on three hits and one walk with four strikeouts across 5⅔ innings. He threw 71.1% of his 76 pitches for strikes, which helped him despite generating just five whiffs on 40 swings for a below-average 12.5% whiff rate.
More importantly, Paddack threw first-pitch strikes to 18 of 20 batters.
The White Sox scored their only run against Paddack in the fifth inning, courtesy of rookie Colson Montgomery blasting a second-pitch changeup in the middle of the strike zone for a solo home run to right field.
Montgomery, a 23-year-old rookie shortstop who made his MLB debut in early July, has produced all 10 of his big league home runs in his past 18 games.
Paddack has a 4.76 ERA in 24 starts.
Scoring first
The Tigers struck first in the second inning against right-hander Elvis Peguero, a reliever who started for the White Sox as the opener to Alexander.
Riley Greene sparked the inning.
Greene ripped a double to right field with one out, then advanced to third base on Andy Ibáñez's single. Dillon Dingler stepped up in the clutch by providing an RBI single on a down-and-away slider from Peguero with two strikes and two outs.
The Dingler single put the Tigers ahead, 1-0.
The Tigers failed to capitalize on an opportunity to put the game away in the fourth inning after loading the bases on Wenceel Pérez's single, Torkelson's single and Dillon Dingler's walk.
Alexander escaped the jam.
Zach McKinstry, a left-handed hitter, stranded the bases loaded when he struck out swinging on Alexander's three consecutive down-and-away sweepers.
Alexander, who pitched for the Tigers from 2019-23, tossed 4⅓ scoreless innings with five strikeouts. The 31-year-old has a 4.27 ERA in 38 games (five starts) for the Milwaukee Brewers and White Sox in the 2025 season.
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.
Listen to our weekly Tigers show "Days of Roar" every Monday afternoon on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. And catch all of our podcasts and daily voice briefing at freep.com/podcasts.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers score: Tigers wait out rain delay for win over White Sox
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