Ian Kinsler Saves Tigers In 8-7 Opening Day Win Over Marlins

Ian Kinsler ran a single to left field in the top of the 11th inning to score Anthony Gose for the game-winning run in the Detroit Tigers’ 8-7 Opening Day victory over the Miami Marlins on Tuesday night at Marlins Park.

Ian Kinsler Saves Tigers In 8-7 Opening Day Win Over Marlins

The Tigers jumped out to an early lead, their starting pitcher, right-handed ace Justin Verlander, not allowing a single hit through the first five innings. Detroit squandered a five-run lead, but Kinsler collected 3 hits and 4 RBIs to help bring the Tigers back to victory.

“If you take Opening Day away from it and you put this game in August, it’s always a big one,” Kinsler said. “It’s always nice to come into the locker room after a game like that and be able to enjoy a win.”

Kinsler put up scoring runs early, including one on a Miguel Cabrera RBI groundout in the first inning. He also hit a three-run home run to left field in the second.

Nick Castellanos extended the lead with a sacrifice fly in the fifth, while Verlander did not allow his first hit until his final inning, when Marlins second baseman Dee Gordon, the reigning National League batting champion, doubled to right field.

Gordon scored on a Marcell Ozuna single, and then Ozuna scored on a two-run home run by slugger Giancarlo Stanton.

Verlander allowed three hits, walked two and struck out five. He threw 98 pitches.

After the Marlins narrowed the gap to 5-4, Gose and pinch-hitter Victor Martinez hit back-to-back home runs in the ninth inning to pad the lead.

In the bottom of the same inning, veteran closer Francisco Rodriguez made his debut with the Tigers by blowing his first save opportunity. He allowed three runs on four hits, three of them doubles, the last coming after Gordon scored the game-tying run.

“I just didn’t make any of my pitches,” Rodriguez said. “I had four opportunities to make one pitch and I didn’t.”

Detroit then suffered a base running mistake with the bases loaded in the 10th inning, but came through after Gose walked to lead-off the 11th inning, pinch-hitter Mike Aviles sacrificed him over, and Kinsler scored his biggest hit of the night.

“The last few innings, in your head, you’re going, ‘Oh, crap,’ ” Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. “But in baseball, you gotta look forward. They’re not winning, they tied us. Now we gotta find a way to win.”

Following Kinsler’s big hit and righty Shane Greene’s first career save on a three-up, three-down ninth inning, The “Let’s go, Tigers!” chants from the crowd picked up just as they had earlier in the night after Kinsler’s first big run.

The Tigers will next revisit the Marlins for a rematch on Wednesday night.