Detroit Tigers rookie Keider Montero impresses in 1-0 win over Cleveland Guardians

Detroit Tigers right-hander Keider Montero, who celebrated his 24th birthday over the weekend, keeps getting better and better. In Monday's start, the rookie pitched into the seventh inning in the fourth game of his MLB career.

He was in control of the game.

The Tigers didn't provide Montero run support, but they eventually scored in the eighth inning for a 1-0 win over the Cleveland Guardians on Monday in the first of four games between the American League Central foes at Comerica Park.

"The night starts with Keider," manager A.J. Hinch said. "He was amazing. He really did a good job of pounding the strike zone. A team stacking almost an entire lineup of left-handers, he continued to land his pitches, throw first-pitch strikes, be very efficient and stay in complete control of the game."

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In the eighth, the Tigers had runners on the corners with one out. A fielding error by Guardians shortstop Brayan Rocchio spoiled any chance of an inning-ending double play, allowing the runner from third to score standing up.

"We were fortunate that he was caught in between," Hinch said. "They were playing for the double play and playing for the play at home, depending on what he read. He got caught in between, and we got to take advantage of an error."

The Tigers (42-48) have a four-game winning streak.

Montero, who lowered his ERA from 6.60 to 4.64, tossed 6⅓ scoreless innings with four strikeouts in his 73-pitch performance, working around three hits and one walk. He induced weak contact on the ground for most of his outs.

"One of the changes I've made is working better on my secondary pitches and being in the strike zone," Montero said in Spanish, interpreted by the team's translator Carlos Guillén, "attacking the strike zone no matter who is in the box. Basically, that was the key, and that has been the key recently for me."

His final batter: José Ramírez.

Ramírez, a five-time All-Star and four-time Silver Slugger, stepped to the plate with a runner on first base and no outs in the seventh inning. Previously, Ramírez grounded out in the first inning and struck out swinging in the fourth inning.

"Make him hit a ground ball for a double play," Montero said.

But Montero fell behind 3-0 in the count to Ramírez in the seventh inning. Pitching coach Chris Fetter visited Montero on the mound, and with the next pitch, Montero threw a fastball to the up-and-away edge of the strike zone.

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Ramírez flew out to right field.

The fastball was supposed to be down-and-away in the zone.

"Throw a heater down and away," catcher Jake Rogers said. "If he dotted it, like he had been all day, he was going to get a ground ball. He left it up, and José missed it. It's a huge pitch there, and thank you José for missing it."

The newcomer received a standing ovation from the fans at Comerica Park as he walked back to the dugout.

It was a moment he won't forget.

"I enjoyed that," Montero said.

Left-handed reliever Tyler Holton retired the next two batters — Josh Naylor (flyout) and David Fry (force out) — to keep the Guardians from scoring in the seventh.

"Fortunately, they didn't score the run," Montero said.

Montero benefitted from inning-ending double plays — the first started by second baseman Colt Keith, the second started by shortstop Javier Báez — in the third and fourth inning. Those double plays erased a walk and a single from the bases.

Montero generated eight whiffs on 33 swings (24.2% whiff rate) with four fastballs, two sliders and two changeups. He didn't get any whiffs with his curveball, but he landed his favorite breaking ball for five called strikes.

"Last start was the first time he had been in the seventh," Hinch said, "this time is the first time he's pitching on five days, like the normal rotation without any extra rest. Combine that to get into the seventh inning against a team that dominates contact and is leading our division and has a lot of threats throughout the lineup, I thought he did a great job."

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You can't win if you don't score

Jake Rogers sparked the Tigers in the eighth inning with a leadoff double against right-handed reliever Scott Barlow, hitting an up-and-in curveball to left field.

He moved up to third base on Wenceel Pérez's single, though Pérez was thrown out trying to advance because he thought there would be a play at the plate with Rogers. After that, Keith worked a four-pitch walk to put runners on the corners.

Mark Canha bounced a grounder to shortstop, which Rocchio failed to pick out of the dirt. Rogers, running on contact, scored easily from third base for a 1-0 lead.

Right-handed reliever Shelby Miller — not righty reliever Jason Foley — completed the ninth inning, protecting a one-run lead. Miller retired three batters in a row — Bo Naylor (called strikeout, fastball), Steven Kwan (flyout, fastball) and Angel Martínez (groundout, splitter) — to end the game.

"Shelby has been good against lefties, dating back a long time, especially with the split and the carry fastball," Hinch said. "This is not a great matchup team for Foley, who I've gone to a lot late. We're going to be creative for the next three days, as well."

Báez finished 1-for-3 with one double in his return from the injured list.

Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.

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