Maton's blast helps Tigers overcome baserunning miscues

MILWAUKEE -- The startled reaction from Akil Baddoo, having been held at third base only to turn around and see Riley Greene slide into the bag, seemed set to sum up the Tigers’ frustrations from a potentially disastrous third inning on the basepaths.

The bat flip from Nick Maton five pitches later, having sent a fastball from Brewers starter Colin Rea to the right-field seats for a three-run home run, encapsulated the Tigers’ emotional swing.

“Needed that one personally, and we needed it as a team, too,” Maton said after the Tigers’ 4-2 win Monday night at American Family Field.

The three-run rally wasn’t as big as it could have been, but it was redemptive, as was Eric Haase’s aggressive trip around the bases two innings later.

“It’s amazing what one hit can do to decompress and relax you,” manager A.J. Hinch said.

It was a wild way for the Tigers to end a four-game losing streak. It was also a microcosm of a team that has a knack for picking its head up when others might wonder where its head is. Much like Detroit won in Toronto two weeks ago after Javier Báez was benched for losing track of outs, it won on a night in which it nearly killed a rally on the bases.

Maton, plugged into the cleanup spot amidst an 0-for-22 slump, ended his skid by bunting his way on in the first inning before slugging his way around the bases in the third. His fourth home run of the season was a two-out blast in an inning in which the first three batters walked, followed by a Báez single.

Both outs came on the bases. Haase walked to lead off the inning, but was thrown out at second -- the first caught stealing of his Major League career as a baserunner -- on what was intended to be a hit-and-run play. Baddoo did not catch the sign and took Rea’s 2-1 pitch for a strike as Haase took off.

Baddoo and Greene both walked on 3-2 pitches, putting runners at first and second. Báez lined Rea’s next pitch into right field, but as third-base coach Gary Jones put up the stop sign for Baddoo, Greene kept running toward an occupied base. Hinch said after the game that Greene was trying to do too much.

The Tigers have just five outs on bases by the baseball-reference definition, which includes outs advancing or times doubled off but not times caught stealing or pickoffs. Those outs have stood out.

What could have been a rescue for Rea was merely a distraction from his struggle with the strike zone. Maton fouled off his 3-0 high sinker, but the notorious fastball hitter did not miss a 3-1 heater over the plate.

The bat flip showed Maton's confidence that it was gone. All of his home runs this season -- and eight of his nine homers for his brief big league career -- have come on fastballs.

“I feel good about my swing. I’ve been putting good swings on the ball,” Maton said. “One game can change everything in how you look at it. I have the same confidence in what I can do, whether the results show it or not.”

The Tigers’ only other extra-base hit was Haase’s hustle double leading off the fifth, his line drive having eluded left fielder Blake Perkins’ diving attempt. The extra base gave Detroit a chance to manufacture an insurance run. Baddoo moved Haase to third on a groundout to the right side. Greene’s ground ball to second could have killed the rally, but Haase slid around catcher William Contreras’ tag.

With that, a team that was arguably pressing on the basepaths turned the tables.

“That’s a lot of pressure on the infield right there,” Haase said. “Riley hits that ball straight into the ground, and it’s in the air for a little bit. I knew it was going to be [a] bang-bang [play]. Looked like a good throw. Fortunately I was able to sneak in behind him.

“It’s just nice to be manufacturing runs. We have not been doing that. Talk about how frustrating it’s been, just scoring runs, but manufacturing runs like that is what we need to be doing.”

The insurance run was critical for Matthew Boyd, who struck out eight over five innings with two solo homers allowed before four hitless innings of relief, culminating in Alex Lange’s second save.