Rookie right-hander Reese Olson gave up one run over six innings as the visiting Detroit Tigers avoided a three-game sweep with a 4-2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday.
Tyler Nevin and Carson Kelly each had two hits and an RBI as the Tigers improved to 4-2 on a 10-game California road trip and staved off elimination in the American League Central for another day.
Kerry Carpenter had two doubles and two runs for Detroit (71-81).
Olson (5-7), who didn’t allow a hit over the first three innings, gave up a total of two hits and two walks while striking out five.
Tigers right-hander Will Vest recorded the final five outs for his second save of the season and the third of his career.
Max Muncy hit a home run, one of just three hits for the Dodgers, who saw their five-game winning streak come to an end. It was the first defeat for Los Angeles (93-58) since wrapping up the National League West title on Saturday.
Rookie right-hander Bobby Miller (10-4), who is expected to have a role in the Dodgers’ postseason rotation, gave up two runs on three hits over six innings. He walked one and fanned seven.
The Tigers took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Carpenter hit a leadoff double and Nevin delivered a one-out RBI single.
Detroit loaded the bases with no outs in the third inning. Spencer Torkelson then hit a line drive to left-center. Los Angeles center fielder James Outman made a diving catch in the gap, with Kelly scoring for a 2-0 lead, but the defensive gem prevented further damage.
The Dodgers pulled within 2-1 in the sixth on Muncy’s home run to right off Olson. It was Muncy’s 36th of the season, matching his career high.
Detroit tacked on a run in the seventh inning on Kelly’s RBI single and made it 4-1 in the eighth on a run-scoring single by Andy Ibanez.
The Dodgers cut the deficit to 4-2 in the eighth on an RBI groundout from Freddie Freeman.
–Field Level Media