Detroit Tigers, Game 87: One thing I loved, one thing I didn't

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The News' Tony Paul gives his quick takes on the Tigers' 6-2, 11-inning victory over the Yankees on Wednesday:

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One thing I loved

Another day, another gem from a Tigers starting pitcher.

This time, it was Troy Melton taking a bow. Melton went 6.1 innings and allowed just two hits and a walk, while striking out seven. He also gave the Tigers a 35th consecutive game in which a starting pitcher allowed four earned runs or fewer. That's a franchise record. Here's how Tigers starters have done during that stretch:

  • Jack Flaherty: Five starts, 3.04 ERA
  • Ty Madden: One start, 5.40 ERA
  • Troy Melton: Seven starts, 2.05 ERA
  • Casey Mize: Four starts, 2.95 ERA
  • Keider Montero: Seven starts, 2.82 ERA
  • Tarik Skubal: Four starts, 4.03 ERA
  • Framber Valdez: Seven starts, 3.32 ERA

Tigers starters had a major league-best 3.17 ERA in June, and they were absolutely ridiculous during the three games at Yankee Stadium. Mize, Skubal and Melton allowed one earned run on four hits in 19.1 innings. They combined to strike out 26 and walk one.

One thing I didn't

Despite all that excellent starting pitching, the Tigers are, unbelievably, just 18-17 in those 35 games. Of course, 17-18 would've felt a whole lot worse — and was in play when Drew Anderson blew the 2-0 lead in the ninth inning as manager AJ Hinch declined to go to his closer, Kenley Jansen.

But Keider Montero, pitching the 10th, kept the game alive for the Tigers with back-to-back strikeouts with two outs, setting up the victory in the 11th.

This was the first sweep by the Tigers ever at new Yankee Stadium. They last swept the Yankees in New York in 2008, Detroit's last series at old Yankee Stadium.

They've won five of six games at Yankee Stadium in the last two series, this year and last. The Tigers scored 46 runs in those six games, with 11 home runs. Now, the Tigers will be charged with building off the momentum of this series, which clawed them within eight games of the Chicago White Sox in the American League Central — with the trade deadline just over a month away. Last year, after taking the first two games of the series at Yankee Stadium in mid-September, the Tigers went on to lose 11 of their next 12 games en route to blowing the Central.

Three stars

(Season total in parentheses)

▶ Kevin McGonigle (24) — He keeps on keepin' on and certainly is going to be an All-Star back home in Philly.

▶ Keider Montero (4) — Pure onions in the 10th and 11th innings.

▶ Zach McKinstry (5) — The biggest hit, with HMs to Hao-Yu Lee and Spencer Torkelson for their two-out walks.

Player of the game

(Season total in parentheses)

▶ Troy Melton (3) — With Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize possibly being traded by the end of the month, the Tigers appear to have the next ace of their staff. In his last three starts, he's allowed two runs on five hits. Total.

Tigers' uniform tracker

  • Traditional home whites: 17-18
  • Alternate home oranges: 5-1
  • Motor City Connect home blues: 1-2
  • Traditional road grays: 11-20
  • Alternate road blues: 4-8

Going the distance … and then some

The Tigers are now 2-6 in extra-inning games

  • April 17: Lost at Red Sox, 1-0, in 10 innings
  • May 13: Lost at Mets, 3-2, in 10 innings
  • May 16: Lost to Blue Jays, 2-1, in 10 innings
  • May 21: Lost to Guardians, 3-2, in 10 innings
  • May 29: Lost to White Sox, 4-3, in 10 innings
  • June 21: Beat White Sox, 5-4, in 10 innings
  • June 28: Lost to Astros, 7-5, in 10 innings
  • July 1: Beat Yankees, 6-2, in 11 innings

Next Tigers game

▶ Game 88: Tigers at Rangers, 8:05 Thursday, Detroit SportsNet, 97.1

ICYMI: Yesterday's Tigers recap

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@tonypaul1984

This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Detroit Tigers, Game 87: One thing I loved, one thing I didn't

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