Detroit Tigers, Game 39: One thing I loved, one thing I didn't

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The News' Andrew Graham gives his quick takes on the Tigers' 4-3 loss to the Royals on Friday:

One thing I loved

Detroit needed nothing more than a strong, long-innings outing from a starter. And unlikely as it might seem to some — though certainly not to those with the Tigers who have poured so much into his pitching success — Keider Montero delivered exactly what the ailing club needed in a series opener on the road against Kansas City. Long innings, few hits and fewer runs. And I love that for Montero.

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Montero got through the first 15 outs on 54 pitches, as he retired 10 consecutive batters at one point. He battled some two-out traffic in the sixth that took his pitch count over 70, but got out of the jam with a fly out to right field, preserving a lead Detroit had pulled out to in the top of the inning.

Montero went six innings on 71 pitches, giving up one run on three hits while striking out four and walking one.

Montero has been called upon in the last two seasons when needing a pitcher to fill in for a start or a stretch of starts for an injured pitcher. With Detroit's rotation and bullpen battered by injury and a suspension, the Tigers needed Montero to come through in his start on Friday.

Detroit has stuck with Montero these past few years. His swing-and-miss changeup and command were evident on Friday. And this would surely be an opportune time for the pitcher to really pull it all together.

One thing I didn't

That bottom of the eighth inning was a debacle. Kyle Finnegan came on to pitch after Tyler Holton managed the seventh inning just fine, and promptly gave up a double, then a single.

For a kicker, Wenceel Perez booted the ball in right field when it should've been an easy, easy play, allowing Kyle Isbel to get all the way to third and score on Maikel Garcia single the next at bat. In three batters, Finnegan — with the aid of Perez and his brutal error in right — gave up the lead.

Finnegan followed that up with a walk to Bobby Witt Jr. and got pulled from the game without recording an out.

And not to overlook the pitching and defensive meltdown, it would've been nice to see the offense crack this one open with a few more runs. The opportunities were there, as Detroit stranded seven runners and went just 2-for-8 with runners in scoring position.

For a team with a decimated pitching staff, the offense is probably going to need to win a few games. Three runs won't always do it, but especially so when debacles like the eighth inning happen. And shoutout to Brant Hurter for somehow getting out of runners on second and first and no outs with no more runs surrendered.

Three stars

(Season total in parentheses)

▶ Matt Vierling (2)

▶ Spencer Torkelson (5)

▶ Riley Greene (10) — seeing eye grounder for a base hit was nifty in the eighth

Player of the game

▶ Keider Montero (3)

Next Tigers game

▶ Game 40: Tigers at Royals, 7:10 Saturday, Detroit SportsNet, 97.1

ICYMI: Yesterday's Tigers recap

This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Detroit Tigers lost the opener in Kansas City on a walk-off single

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