Dillon Dingler hit a two-run homer, Max Clark supplied a solo shot and the host Detroit Tigers pulled away for a 6-2 home victory over the Colorado Rockies on Friday night.
Dingler socked his 27th homer of the season but his first since Aug. 6. Clark scored twice while Riley Greene contributed a single, a double and a triple while scoring a run and driving in two more for Detroit (68-79).
Framber Valdez (10-10) held the Rockies (55-92) to one unearned run and six hits in six innings. He walked two and struck out two. Kenley Jansen got the final out for his 19th save as Detroit won for the fourth time in six games.
Colorado starter Mason Adams limited the Tigers to one run and two hits in five innings. He fanned five and walked three as the Rockies dropped their fifth game in a row.
The Rockies had three hits and a walk while breaking the scoreless tie in the fifth but only pushed across one run. They needed an error to do it, as third baseman Kevin McGonigle bobbled Ezequiel Tovar’s bases-loaded grounder. The Rockies left three runners on base as Hunter Goodman’s bounced into a fielder’s choice.
Clark tied it in the bottom of the inning, driving a fastball over the right field wall. The next two batters walked, but Adams got out of that jam with a double play.
The Tigers scored four two-out runs in the sixth against Mark Manfredi (1-2) and Nick Frasso to take a 5-1 lead. Gleyber Torres, who had walked, scored on Greene’s triple to center field, knocking out Manfredi. Dingler then hit Frasso’s first pitch over the left field wall. The final run of the inning scored without a hit. Clark was hit by a pitch, stole second and scored on two Frasso wild pitches.
Detroit tacked on a run in the eighth. Spencer Torkelson drew a leadoff walk and Greene followed with a double down the right field line to score him.
The Rockies scored against Brant Hurter in the ninth on Adael Amador’s single, two groundouts and Zac Veen’s RBI infield single. When Jake McCarthy followed with another base hit, Hurter was removed in favor of Jansen. The veteran right-hander struck out Connor Norby to end the game.
