Detroit Tigers’ bullpen up and down in twinbill split with Pittsburgh on Wednesday

By DAVE HOGG

Associated Press

DETROIT — Bryan Reynolds doubled in Pittsburgh’s two-run seventh inning, and the Pirates beat the Detroit Tigers 7-2 to split Wednesday’s doubleheader.

The Tigers won the first game 3-2 with the help of two key errors by the Pirates.

After pitching 4 2/3 scoreless innings in the first game, the Tigers’ bullpen struggled in the nightcap. With the game tied at 2, Tigers reliever Drew Hutchinson (0-2) walked Ben Gemel to start the seventh and Reynolds hit a bloop double to left.

Will Vest replaced Hutchinson and his wild pitch allowed Gemel to score the go-ahead run. He then hit Ke’Bryan Hayes and allowed a sacrifice fly to Daniel Vogelbach.

Gemel added an RBI single in the ninth — his fifth hit of the doubleheader — and Vogelbach made it 7-2 with a two-run homer.

Detroit lost for the eighth time in 10 games, while Pittsburgh won its second in eight games.

Zach Thompson (1-3) got the win with a scoreless inning of relief. David Bednar pitched the final two innings for his third save.

Tigers starter Alex Faedo, making his major-league debut, allowed two runs on eight hits in five innings.

In the first game, the Tigers had three hits and three unearned runs. Alex Lange (1-1) got two outs for the win, and Gregory Soto worked the ninth for his fourth save.

Detroit’s bullpen started the day with a major league-best 1.97 ERA.

Dillon Peters pitched 3 1/3 innings of relief for Pittsburgh, stretching his season-long scoreless streak to 16 2/3 innings.

Pittsburgh took a 2-0 lead in the fifth on Gamel’s two-run triple off Lange.

Detroit responded in the bottom half. Jeimer Candelario led off with a double and Harold

Castro reached on an error by shortstop Cole Tucker.

Akil Baddoo’s one-out walk loaded the bases. Robbie Grossman knocked in the Tigers’ first run with a sacrifice fly. Hayes then booted Javier Báez’s bouncer, allowed two more runs to score.