Tigers Fall 6–4 in 11-Inning Heartbreaker to Marlins
MIAMI — The Detroit Tigers fought deep into extra innings Tuesday night, but a single swing ended their hopes of another comeback. Miami’s Troy Johnston crushed an 11th-inning walk-off home run off reliever Rafael Montero, handing the Tigers a 6–4 defeat that left the visiting dugout silent and the home crowd roaring.
Detroit entered the bottom of the 11th tied 4–4 after clawing back from an early deficit. Starter Reese Olson battled through six gritty innings, allowing three runs and keeping the Tigers within striking distance despite constant traffic on the bases. Relievers Tyler Holton and Jason Foley combined for four scoreless innings to push the game past regulation.
The Tigers’ offense chipped away throughout the night. Spencer Torkelson delivered a two-run double in the fifth to erase an early Marlins lead, while Riley Greene’s sharp single in the eighth tied the game at 4 and forced extra innings. Each time Miami surged ahead, Detroit responded, showing the same fight that has kept them in the thick of the American League Wild Card race.
But in the 11th, Johnston seized the moment. With a runner on and a 2–1 count, he turned on a Montero fastball and launched it deep into the right-field seats. The ball left his bat at 108 mph and disappeared into a sea of waving teal jerseys as Marlins Park erupted. Johnston’s teammates mobbed him at home plate, celebrating the franchise’s latest late-game heroics.
“It was a fastball that caught too much of the plate,” Montero said. “In that spot, you have to execute perfectly. I didn’t, and he made me pay.”
Manager A.J. Hinch praised his club’s perseverance but lamented the missed chances. Detroit left nine runners on base and went 2-for-11 with men in scoring position. “We battled,” Hinch said. “Our bullpen gave us every chance to win. We just couldn’t get that one extra hit, and they did.”
Despite the loss, the Tigers remain within striking distance in the playoff picture, and Hinch emphasized the need to turn the page quickly. “These games sting, but tomorrow is another opportunity,” he said. “We’ll be ready.”
For Johnston and the Marlins, the victory provided a jolt to their own postseason hopes. “I was just looking for something to drive,” Johnston said, grinning as he recounted the at-bat. “When I connected, I knew it was gone.”
As Detroit heads to its next series, the memory of a hard-fought, 11-inning thriller will linger—a reminder of baseball’s thin margins and the heartbreak that can come from a single pitch.
Leave a Reply