Tigers sweep Astros; Morton beats ex-team since '19

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00:00Welcome everyone to a story that blends America's favorite pastime with a surprising clubhouse

00:07addition. Detroit. Following his acquisition by the Tigers from the Orioles at the trade deadline,

00:14Charlie Morton made a personal addition to the team's clubhouse, an espresso machine.

00:19At 41 years old, he quickly won over his new teammates with this gesture,

00:23having previously done the same in his earlier tenures with the Orioles,

00:26Rays, Braves and Astros. Although he does not consider himself a heavy coffee drinker or a

00:32coffee connoisseur, he appreciates the craft of making coffee. Manager A.J. Hinch humorously

00:38remarked, he'll give you a 30-minute dissertation on espresso making. Morton noted that his new

00:43teammates seem particularly enthusiastic about the espresso machine compared to his experiences

00:48with other teams. We've had it in there for a couple of days and I think the guys are interested

00:53and excited, he mentioned. Given the way the Tigers aggressively faced Astros starter Framber Valdez on

00:59Wednesday afternoon, it's possible that the caffeine boost had an effect. However, the 7-2 victory at

01:06Comerica Park, which completed a three-game sweep of the AL West leaders, is not the first time the

01:12team has shown such strong performance. The Tigers have experienced significant success during their

01:17opening innings this season. Dylan Dingler commented on this trend, noting, I feel like we've done a good

01:23job of that. He highlighted his own contribution as his RBI triple was part of a sequence, where six

01:28consecutive Tigers reached base and scored before the team recorded its first out in the final game.

01:34He explained that starting strong allows the team to relax while still maintaining focus, stating,

01:40We've had a few games like that where we jump out to an early lead and then it allows you to kind of

01:44settle in but also not coast. You're playing with a lead and you're playing a little looser.

01:49In terms of statistics, Detroit is among the top 10 teams in Major League Baseball for first inning

01:54runs, RBIs, batting average and OPS. However, they are in the lower half of the league when it comes to

02:01first inning home runs. In the final game, the Tigers demonstrated their offensive prowess by scoring

02:06six earned runs against Valdez in the opening inning, which matched the total number of earned runs he had

02:12given up to them over the previous three regular seasons combined, spanning five starts and 36

02:18innings. While some of this success may stem from a strategic approach, Valdez has faced challenges

02:24with big innings throughout the season. The struggles experienced on Wednesday were largely due to

02:29self-inflicted errors, beginning with consecutive walks that opened the game and escalating with two

02:34wild pitches that allowed runs to score. However, there is a delicate balance to strike between being

02:40patient with a wild pitcher and being overly passive at the plate, particularly when facing a sinkerball

02:46pitcher like Valdez who excels at inducing ground balls. The Tigers, fresh off a victory on Tuesday

02:52thanks to Gleyber Torres' walk-off walk, appeared to have found that balance right from the start of

02:57the game. That's about as impressive a collection of at-bats as you can ask for, Hinch remarked. They did a

03:03great job of controlling the strike zone, drawing walks and not trying to do too much. Framber is a very

03:09skilled pitcher, and he's just one pitch away from escaping any trouble he finds himself in. Yet we

03:14kept passing the baton to the next hitter, and everyone contributed positively. In fact, the Tigers

03:20came remarkably close to achieving a cycle in that inning, missing it by just one home run, and they

03:26did so in a progressive manner. Andy Ibanez, after watching a sinker go by for a called first strike at

03:32the plate at the top of the zone, managed to hit another ball further down, resulting in a ground ball that

03:37went through the middle, allowing for an RBI single. Spencer Torkelson, faced a curve ball that was

03:44called a strike, but then he swung at a changeup that was outside the strike zone. However, he later

03:49connected with a fly ball that landed just inside the right field line, earning him a ground rule double.

03:56Next up was Dingler, who, due to his right-handed batting and recent performance, was given the

04:00designated hitter role by manager Hinch on a day he was not catching. He initially swung at a curve ball that

04:06was in the dirt, resulting in strike two, but then, he hit a powerful curve ball that Valdez left in the

04:11strike zone. This impressive hit traveled 413 feet, causing center fielder Taylor Trammell to crash into

04:18the fence as the ball bounced, allowing Dingler to reach third base and score another run. Dingler

04:24commented on the situation, saying, you have to get his pitches up because all the stuff's moving down.

04:29He was bouncing some pitches so it naturally fits into that approach, but I don't think you should be

04:34passive. Valdez finally recorded his first out on his 29th pitch when Wensiel Perez grounded out.

04:40The inning began with a ground ball hit by Javier Baez that found its way through the left side of

04:45the infield, which was positioned in for a play, resulting in another run batted in. Despite Jake

04:51Rodgers hitting into a double play that ended the inning, the Tigers managed to have all their

04:55batters come to the plate in the first inning for the fifth time this season. A.J. Hinch commented on

05:00the at-bats during that inning, stating, each at-bat had a specific goal. He noted that while

05:06the execution wasn't perfect, it was still quite impressive. He emphasized that when the players

05:11put together those at-bats, it showcases the team's offensive capabilities as dynamic.

05:18This strong performance contributed to a smoother game for Morton, who secured a victory against his

05:23former team for the first time since 2019, delivering six solid innings and striking out eight batters.

05:29Wouldn't you agree that sometimes the smallest gestures like a perfect espresso can be the

05:34catalyst for a big win?

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