{"id":133479,"date":"2025-08-10T04:34:09","date_gmt":"2025-08-10T04:34:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/133479\/"},"modified":"2025-08-10T04:34:09","modified_gmt":"2025-08-10T04:34:09","slug":"detroit-tigers-lose-to-la-angels-7-4-despite-charlie-morton-10-ks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/133479\/","title":{"rendered":"Detroit Tigers lose to LA Angels, 7-4, despite Charlie Morton 10 K&#8217;s"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;right:0;bottom:0;width:100%;height:100%;z-index:2\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/85514460007-scott-harris-july-31-2025-photo.png\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"vidplayicon\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/appservices\/universal-web\/universal\/icons\/icon-play-alt-white.svg\" alt=\"play\" style=\"height:40px;margin:auto 18px auto 27px;width:40px\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Detroit Tigers&#8217; Scott Harris explains 2025 MLB trade deadline approach<\/p>\n<p>President of baseball operations Scott Harris talks July 31, 2025, about how the Detroit Tigers took a conservative approach at the trade deadline.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The Detroit Tigers lost to the Los Angeles Angels, 7-4, on Saturday night.<\/li>\n<li>Charlie Morton, making his second start for the Tigers, struck out 10 but gave up 6 runs in 4 1\/3 innings.<\/li>\n<li>Javier B\u00e1ez went 3-for-4 with a double and a steal for the Tigers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Charlie Morton racked up 10 strikeouts.<\/p>\n<p>He also allowed six runs.<\/p>\n<p>The 41-year-old experienced both successes and struggles in his second start with the<a href=\"https:\/\/www.freep.com\/sports\/tigers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> Detroit Tigers<\/a> since arriving from the <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdata.usatoday.com\/baseball\/mlb\/teams\/baltimore-orioles\/225\" data-autotag=\"2aa046ec-b1f4-41c3-9b35-9eda5eeaab83\" rel=\"noopener\">Baltimore Orioles<\/a> at the trade deadline, but those struggles haunted the Tigers in a 7-4 loss to the <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdata.usatoday.com\/baseball\/mlb\/teams\/los-angeles-angels\/227\" data-autotag=\"c0c681b7-3a55-4139-8870-092cf4b0e8c4\" rel=\"noopener\">Los Angeles Angels<\/a> on Saturday, Aug. 9, in the second of three games at Comerica Park.<\/p>\n<p>The Tigers (67-51) have lost 17 of their past 25 games.<\/p>\n<p>More importantly, the Tigers&#8217; lead in the American League Central is down to five games over the <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdata.usatoday.com\/baseball\/mlb\/teams\/cleveland-guardians\/229\" data-autotag=\"d1d61b27-2340-4931-97ee-102b8931899a\" rel=\"noopener\">Cleveland Guardians<\/a>, with the Tigers and Guardians scheduled for six games in September. Just 32 days ago, the Tigers had a 14-game lead in the AL Central.<\/p>\n<p class=\"related-link\"><strong style=\"margin-right:3px\">ONE FOR THE AGES: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.freep.com\/story\/sports\/mlb\/tigers\/2025\/08\/04\/detroit-tigers-oldest-players-charlie-morton-kenny-rogers\/85505276007\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Charlie Morton isn&#8217;t the oldest Detroit Tigers pitcher ever \u2014 but he&#8217;s close<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Morton allowed six runs on seven hits and one walk with 10 strikeouts across 4\u2153 innings, throwing 90 pitches. The Angels tagged him for three runs in the fourth inning and two runs in the fifth inning, but the scoring began in the first inning.<\/p>\n<p>In the first, the Angels took a 1-0 lead on a double by Taylor Ward, though the ball should&#8217;ve been caught by left fielder Jahmai Jones, who took a bad route.<\/p>\n<p>It was Jones&#8217; third outfield start in 42 games this season \u2014 and just his sixth outfield start in 111 MLB games.<\/p>\n<p>The Tigers paid for Jones&#8217; poor defense.<\/p>\n<p>The Angels crushed Morton in the fourth and fifth innings, with Jo Adell&#8217;s three-run home run in the fourth for a 4-2 lead and Taylor Ward&#8217;s two-run home run in the fifth for a 6-4 lead. Both players hit curveballs for their homers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"related-link\"><strong style=\"margin-right:3px\">PAY IT FORWARD: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.freep.com\/story\/sports\/mlb\/tigers\/2025\/08\/09\/detroit-tigers-tarik-skubal-troy-melton-backpack-louis-vuitton\/85591939007\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Backpack and a bottle: Tarik Skubal&#8217;s gifts to Detroit Tigers rookie Troy Melton<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Aside from the six runs on seven hits, Morton looked sharp. He tied a season-high 10 strikeouts, including seven strikeouts in a row from the end of the first inning through the end of the third inning.<\/p>\n<p>At 41 years, 270 days, Morton became <a href=\"https:\/\/stathead.com\/tiny\/fFEC2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the oldest Tiger in franchise history with a 10-strikeout game<\/a>, supplanting Tommy Bridges (11 strikeouts at 36 years, 201 days on July 17, 1943, against the <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdata.usatoday.com\/baseball\/mlb\/teams\/chicago-white-sox\/228\" data-autotag=\"d5333560-8140-4679-b3e4-0675efb2456e\" rel=\"noopener\">Chicago White Sox<\/a>) in the record books.<\/p>\n<p>Morton, an 18-year MLB veteran, generated 20 whiffs on 45 swings for a 44.4% whiff rate: 14 curveballs, one four-seam fastball, three cutters and two changeups. HIs fastball averaged 94.2 mph, and his curveball missed bats, but the two home runs hurt him.<\/p>\n<p>He has a 5.48 ERA in 25 games (19 starts).<\/p>\n<p class=\"exclude-from-newsgate\"><strong>[ MUST LISTEN:<\/strong>\u00a0Make\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/omny.fm\/shows\/days-of-roar-a-free-press-sports-detroit-tigers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">&#8220;Days of Roar&#8221;<\/a>\u00a0your go-to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/sportsdata.usatoday.com\/baseball\/mlb\/teams\/detroit-tigers\/230\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Detroit Tigers<\/a> podcast, available anywhere you listen to podcasts (<a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/days-of-roar-a-free-press-sports-detroit-tigers-podcast\/id1674627945\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Apple<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/7hWybDP3lhBSo9HFkSshac\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Spotify<\/a>)\u00a0<strong>]<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Four runs vs. Yusei Kikuchi<\/p>\n<p>The Tigers stacked their lineup against left-hander Yusei Kikuchi with nine right-handed hitters, including switch-hitter Wenceel P\u00e9rez in the fifth spot.<\/p>\n<p>P\u00e9rez sparked the Tigers in the second inning.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/tigers125.pictorialbook.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"sponsored noreferrer noopener\">Celebrate 125 epic seasons of the the Tigers with our new book!<\/a><\/p>\n<p>He fouled a ball off his right foot and needed a visit from an athletic trainer, but two pitches later, he ripped an inside slider down the left-field line for a leadoff triple. He scored on an ensuing RBI single by Andy Ib\u00e1\u00f1ez to tie the game, 1-1. After Javier B\u00e1ez&#8217;s double, a sacrifice fly from Jake Rogers put the Tigers ahead, 2-1.<\/p>\n<p>The Tigers added two more runs in the fourth inning.<\/p>\n<p>Back-to-back singles from Dillon Dingler and B\u00e1ez set the table for Matt Vierling&#8217;s sacrifice fly and Gleyber Torres&#8217; RBI double \u2014\u00a0once again tying the game, 4-4.<\/p>\n<p>Kikuchi allowed four runs on eight hits and two walks with seven strikeouts across five innings, throwing 102 pitches. He owns a 3.37 ERA in 25 starts.<\/p>\n<p>Rafael Montero shines, Codi Heuer debuts<\/p>\n<p>Right-handed reliever Rafael Montero \u2014 whom the Tigers acquired from the Atlanta Braves at the trade deadline \u2014 will receive more opportunities if he pitches well.<\/p>\n<p>That happened in Saturday&#8217;s game.<\/p>\n<p>Montero replaced Morton, retiring two batters to complete the fifth inning and three of four batters to complete the sixth inning. Four of his five outs were groundouts. The only hit was a single by Gustavo Campero with two outs in the sixth. He struck out Yo\u00e1n Moncada swinging with a splitter in the fifth.<\/p>\n<p>Montero has a 5.49 ERA in 41 relief appearances.<\/p>\n<p>Right-handed reliever Codi Heuer \u2014 acquired from the Texas Rangers at the trade deadline and recently promoted from Triple-A Toledo \u2014\u00a0made his Tigers debut in the eighth inning. He surrendered a solo home run to Luis Rengifo on a middle-middle 93.8 mph fastball.<\/p>\n<p>The homer from Rengifo increased the Angels&#8217; lead to 7-4.<\/p>\n<p>Contact Evan Petzold at\u00a0<a href=\"mailto:epetzold@freepress.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">epetzold@freepress.com<\/a>\u00a0or follow him\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/EvanPetzold\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">@EvanPetzold<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"exclude-from-newsgate\">Listen to our weekly Tigers show\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/omny.fm\/shows\/days-of-roar-a-free-press-sports-detroit-tigers\/a-j-hinch-joins-days-of-roar-to-talk-detroit-tiger\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">&#8220;Days of Roar&#8221;<\/a>\u00a0every Monday afternoon on\u00a0Apple,\u00a0Spotify\u00a0or wherever you listen to podcasts.\u00a0And catch all of our podcasts and daily voice briefing at\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.freep.com\/podcasts\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">freep.com\/podcasts<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Detroit Tigers&#8217; Scott Harris explains 2025 MLB trade deadline approach President of baseball operations Scott Harris talks July&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":133480,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5123],"tags":[80777,4231,2379,18570,1276,591,1582,276,80778,46397,960,1274,13593,1282,1449,1885,62483,80774,80780,38706,80782,17727,80773,2961,4230,224,1285,5337,1266,80776,80779,1571,5382,942,50,26092,450,950,80775,80781,15776,25225,1926,15779,62,1458,15777,18912,2627,2971,646,59133,3851,80772,34537],"class_list":{"0":"post-133479","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-los-angeles","8":"tag-adell","9":"tag-angeles","10":"tag-angels","11":"tag-baltimore","12":"tag-baltimore-orioles","13":"tag-baseball","14":"tag-ca","15":"tag-california","16":"tag-charlie","17":"tag-charlie-morton","18":"tag-chicago","19":"tag-chicago-white-sox","20":"tag-cleveland","21":"tag-cleveland-guardians","22":"tag-detroit","23":"tag-detroit-tigers","24":"tag-guardians","25":"tag-jahmai","26":"tag-jahmai-jones","27":"tag-jo","28":"tag-jo-adell","29":"tag-jones","30":"tag-kikuchi","31":"tag-la","32":"tag-los","33":"tag-los-angeles","34":"tag-los-angeles-angels","35":"tag-losangeles","36":"tag-mlb","37":"tag-montero","38":"tag-morton","39":"tag-national","40":"tag-national-sports","41":"tag-neutral","42":"tag-news","43":"tag-orioles","44":"tag-overall","45":"tag-overall-neutral","46":"tag-rafael","47":"tag-rafael-montero","48":"tag-scores","49":"tag-sox","50":"tag-sport","51":"tag-sport-scores-u0026-statistics","52":"tag-sports","53":"tag-sports-news","54":"tag-statistics","55":"tag-taylor","56":"tag-taylor-ward","57":"tag-tigers","58":"tag-u0026","59":"tag-ward","60":"tag-white","61":"tag-yusei","62":"tag-yusei-kikuchi"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":"Validation failed: Text character limit of 500 exceeded"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/133479","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=133479"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/133479\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/133480"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=133479"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=133479"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=133479"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}