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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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Ramírez flew out to right field.

The rookie received a standing ovation from the fans at Comerica Park as he walked back to the dugout. Left-handed reliever Tyler Holton retired the next two batters — Josh Naylor (flyout) and David Fry (force out) — to keep the Guardians from scoring into he seventh.

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.

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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 stretch a single into a double, but only because third base coach Joey Cora wanted to send Rogers home before tossing up a late stop sign. 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 scored easily from third base for a 1-0 lead and the Tigers held on from there.

Contact Evan Petzold at [email protected] or follow him @EvanPetzold.

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers rookie Keider Montero impresses in 1-0 win vs Guardians