Dillon Dingler hit his first career home run, Matt Vierling also homered, and the Detroit Tigers managed to hold off the San Francisco Giants 5-4 on Sunday to avoid being swept in the three-game series.
Colt Keith added two hits and an RBI, while three Tigers relievers combined for four scoreless innings to support rookie Keider Montero’s mixed performance.
Detroit’s 19th one-run win of the season ended a three-game losing streak for manager A.J. Hinch’s team.
“Obviously encouraged with the way we finished,” Hinch said after his team completed a 3-3 road trip. “It was a good game, it was a good road trip despite the games that we always dwell on, the ones that got away. But proud of the group today coming in and getting us a happy flight.”
Dingler hit a two-run home run in the second inning and also doubled and scored in the fifth, with both hits coming off Giants starter Hayden Birdsong.
“They were attacking me early, a lot of back-door stuff with sinkers,” Dingler said. “I figured that I was just going to get some four-seams, in the first couple (at-bats) especially, so I kind of took advantage of it and (Birdsong) left a couple that were over the plate.”
Montero (3-5) allowed four runs on five hits and four walks. Tyler Holton retired four batters, Brenan Hanifee set down five, and Will Vest earned his first save of the season by getting Heliot Ramos to strike out looking for the final out.
Matt Chapman had three hits and three RBIs for the Giants, who lost for the fourth time in their last 16 games.
“We were down some runs, we came back and made it a game,” Giants manager Bob Melvin said. “Continued to push and that’s been the consistent theme with us.”
Vierling, who missed the previous two games due to back spasms, started the Tigers off with his third leadoff home run of the season.
Dingler also hit a ground-rule double and scored in the fifth inning, and Keith added a single to drive in a run, putting the Tigers ahead 5-2.
