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On deck
Tonight: Detroit at Pittsburgh, 6:40 p.m.
Pitchers: Tigers RHP Keider Montero (9-7) vs. Pirates RHP Braxton Ashcraft (12-5)
TV: SportsNet Pittsburgh
Radio: HANK-FM 96.1
PITTSBURGH -- Kevin McGonigle hit a two-run homer, and the Detroit Tigers held off the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-5 on Monday night and moved into a three-way tie for the final AL wild-card spot.
"We didn't give up on ourselves and I feel like a lot of people gave up on us," McGonigle said. "Losing (starting pitcher Tarik Skubal) was a big deal for us, but that doesn't change the fact that we go to work every day and play hard."
Brett Callahan and Hao-Yu Lee also drove in two runs as the Tigers built an 8-1 lead before Pittsburgh scored four times in the sixth.
Zach McKinstry and both hit RBI singles in the first, and McGonigle's two-run shot in the second, his 13th of the season, made it 4-0.
McGonigle singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch in the sixth. Pirates reliever Yohan Ramirez walked the next three batters, resulting in McGonigle scoring before Callahan hit a two-run single to make it 8-1.
Framber Valdez (8-8) pitched 5ª innings, allowing four runs and five hits with five strikeouts and four walks. Kenley Jansen struck out two in the final inning for his 15th save of the year.
The Pirates scored their first run after Jake Mangum scored on a throwing error by Lee, then strung together a four-run inning in the sixth after Nick Gonzales doubled, Rafael Flores Jr. was walked and Mangum walked to load the bases.
Nick Yorke then cleared the bases with a double and Henry Davis followed with hit for an RBI single to make it 8-5.
Starter Carmen Mlodzinski pitched three innings and gave up eight hits and four earned runs. He struck out three and walked one.
"It looked like his fastball velo was up a little bit and it seemed like they were able to spoil some off-speed stuff," Pirates manager Don Kelly said of his starter. "He didnt get the chase he normally does. They were back on his fastball and they were able to get a hold of a few of them."
With the Baltimore Orioles' 7-6 loss on Monday to Tampa Bay, the Tigers tied Baltimore and Texas for the final AL wild card.
Pirate notes
The Pirates ended the rehab assignment of outfielder Oneil Cruz Monday and reinstated him from the 60-day injured list. Pittsburgh also reinstated right-handed pitcher Yohan Ramirez from the Major League Paternity Leave List.
The Pirates optioned outfielder Ronny Simon and left-handed pitcher Hunter Barco to Triple-A Indianapolis to make room on the active roster. Outfielder Johnathan Rodriguez has been designated for assignment to make room for Cruz on the 40-man roster, which remains full.
The 27-year-old Cruz was hitting .264 (66-for-250) with 10 doubles, 14 home runs, 44 RBI, 30 walks, 21 stolen bases, an .822 OPS and 45 runs scored in 64 games when he got hurt. He pinch ran in his last game with the Pirates, which came on June 7 at Atlanta, before being placed on the 10-day injured list on June 10 with a hand injury.
Cruz, who was transferred to the 60-day injured list on July 18, collected three hits, an RBI, three walks and a stolen base in six rehab games split between Indianapolis (two games) and Double-A Altoona (four games) from August 7-15.
The 31-year-old Ramirez has gone 6-3 with one save, a 2.67 ERA, 79 strikeouts and a .192 batting average against (46-for-240) in 49 appearances (one start) this season. He had a career-high-tying five strikeouts over three scoreless innings in his last outing, which came on Aug. 11 at Miami.
Ramirez has a 0.28 ERA, 40 strikeouts and a .147 batting average against in his last 22 appearances, dating back to June 6.
Up next
RHP Keider Montero (9-7, 3.22 ERA) will start on the mound for the Tigers tonight against the Pirates RHP Braxton Ashcraft (12-5, 3.88).