Detroit Tigers starter Keider Montero didn’t have his best outing, but his offense did just enough to put him in line for the win.
And then the bullpen let the Los Angeles Angels blow it open in the eighth inning, leading to another Tigers loss.
On the strength of a five-run eighth inning, the Angels beat the Tigers, 10-6, on Tuesday, May 26, at Comerica Park in Detroit. Tigers reliever Will Vest gave up the big blow – a two-out, go-ahead grand slam to Angels first baseman Vaughn Grissom that turned a 6-5 Tigers lead to a 9-6 Angels lead.
The Tigers entered the eighth inning up 6-4, but Vest allowed a two-out RBI double to catcher Logan O’Hoppe to bring the Angels within a run. And then following a single from shortstop Zach Neto and a walk from center fielder Mike Trout, Grissom provided the knockout punch on an opposite-field shot.
🚨 A GRISSOM GRAND SLAM GIVES US THE LEAD 🚨 pic.twitter.com/lNLXK5SFbD
— Los Angeles Angels (@Angels) May 27, 2026
Grissom finished 3-for-5 with six RBIs, adding a two-RBI single in the third inning. His day overshadowed that of Tigers third baseman Kevin McGonigle, who had three hits, including a two-RBI triple that tied the game at 4-4 in the fifth inning.
Montero gave up four runs in nearly six innings of work, but left in line for the win before Vest allowed the Angels to take the lead in the eighth. And after putting up five runs in the middle innings, Detroit’s offense limped to the finish line, unable to mount a comeback once the Angels went ahead for the final time.
It was Detroit’s ninth loss in its last 10 games as the Tigers stand 5-18 in the month of May. The Tigers and Angels are now tied for the worst record in the American League at 21-34 following Tuesday’s game. They’ll break the tie, one way or the other, with the second game of the series, set for Wednesday (6:40 p.m., Detroit SportsNet), with Tigers righty Casey Mize facing Angels righty José Soriano.
Bats break out in middle innings
With the Tigers down 4-2 in the bottom of the fifth inning, center fielder Matt Vierling led off with a single, and right fielder Wenceel Pérez followed with a walk. McGonigle, already 2-for-2 (with two singles), then drove them both home with a triple to tie the game at 4-4.
It was McGonigle’s third triple of the season, which leads all MLB rookies and all Tigers.
McTriple anyone? 🍔 pic.twitter.com/nvsZzVTdDn
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) May 26, 2026
Catcher Dillon Dingler and left fielder Riley Greene each walked to load the bases following McGonigle’s triple for pinch-hitter Jahmai Jones, who lined a single into right field to drive in McGonigle from third for the go-ahead run. But the Tigers wasted an opportunity for even more runs with the bases loaded and no outs, with first baseman Spencer Torkelson and shortstop Zach McKinstry both striking out and pinch-hitter Hao-Yu Lee flying out to right field to end the inning.
Pérez extended the lead to 6-4 in the sixth inning with a one-out, solo home run off Angels lefty Mitch Farris – the homer was his third of the season and second from the right side of the plate.
Keider Montero pitches into sixth inning
Montero set his season high with eight hits allowed on Tuesday. He also tied his season high with seven strikeouts and was one out away from completing six innings.
In other words, he gave the Tigers length, but not necessarily quality against the Angels.
Montero pitched a 1-2-3 first inning but ran into trouble in the second inning, allowing consecutive singles from designated hitter Jorge Soler and left fielder Wade Meckler to start the frame. But Montero shut down the bottom of the Angels order, striking out right fielder Jo Adell and second baseman Oswald Peraza swinging before getting Donovan Walton to strike out looking on an outside fastball.
Keider Montero’s 3Ks in the 2nd pic.twitter.com/0hZfC7Dz4C
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 26, 2026
He wasn’t as effective in the third inning, however. After catcher Logan O’Hoppe’s leadoff single and Neto’s walk, Montero struck out center fielder Mike Trout to get his first out of the inning. A grounder up the middle from Grissom got through the infield, however, scoring O’Hoppe from second base and eventually Neto from first when McKinstry was slow to throw to home plate on the relay.
The Angels scored two more in the fourth inning, the first coming off a Jo Adell solo home run to lead off the frame and the second after two doubles from Walton and Neto plated another run.
Montero’s final line: 5⅔ innings pitched, eight hits, four runs allowed (all earned), one walk and seven strikeouts. He exited the game in the sixth inning in line for the win, but finished with no decision after the bullpen meltdown in the eighth.
Tigers take early lead
The Tigers got traffic in the bottom of the second after a Colt Keith line drive hit off the foot of Angels starter Jack Kochanowicz and popped up high into the air, allowing Keith to reach first on the bounce. Torkelson was then hit on the shoulder on the very next pitch, with both Keith and Torkelson advancing to scoring position on a Kochanowicz wild pitch to McKinstry.
McKinstry then hit a sacrifice fly to score Keith from third, giving the Tigers a 1-0 lead, though second baseman Gage Workman and center fielder Matt Vierling both grounded out to strand Torkelson at third base. The RBI was McKinstry’s eighth of the year as the 2025 All-Star utility player has struggled through his first two months of the season.
Down 4-1 in the bottom of the fourth, Keith hit a leadoff triple that bounced off the glove of a diving Mike Trout in center field, eventually scoring on McKinstry’s second sacrifice fly of the game to bring the score to 4-2. The Tigers took the lead in the next inning and extended it in the sixth on Pérez’s home run, but couldn’t come through in the late innings after the Angels retook the lead.
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You can reach Christian at cromo@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers bullpen breaks again in loss to LA Angels