Keider Montero, Riley Greene lead Tigers to 3-1 win over Giants

DETROIT (AP) — Keider Montero pitched five scoreless innings and Riley Greene drove in two runs to help the Detroit Tigers beat the San Francisco Giants 3-1 on Monday.

Montero (2-1) entered the game with a 5.28 ERA in six games, but held the Giants to one hit and two walks while striking out three.

Five relievers finished, with Will Vest pitching the ninth for his sixth save.

Hayden Birdsong (2-1) took the loss, giving up three runs on five hits and two walks in 4 1/3 innings.

The Tigers took a 1-0 lead in the fourth on Dillon Dingler’s RBI single, and they added two runs in the fifth.

With one out, Detroit loaded the bases on a single and two walks before Greene looped a two-run single into center. Reliever Erik Miller avoided a worse outcome by intentionally walking Spencer Torkelson and getting Zach McKinstry to hit into an inning-ending double play.

Wilmer Flores’ RBI single made it 3-1 in the sixth, but the Giants failed to get a runner into scoring position in the last three innings.

Key moment

Tigers CF Javier Báez was ejected in the fifth inning after an animated argument with the home-plate umpire over a called third strike on a pitch that Statcast showed to be low. After the ejection, Báez had to be restrained by teammate Gleyber Torres and third-base coach Joey Cora.

Key stat

The Tigers have an MLB-high 19 wins in 26 day games.

Up next

The teams play the second of a three-game series on Tuesday evening, with Detroit RHP Jack Flaherty (2-6, 4.39) facing RHP Logan Webb (5-4, 2.67).