Came up short.

Nationals 5, Tigers 4

Doug Fister (4-1, 43 IP, 3.14 ERA, 3.01 FIP, 1.2 WAR) must be a creature of habit. He was out of sorts today in a big way after the extra day off, allowing 5 runs (4 earned) on 8 hits in just 3 inning of work. But the Tigers didn’t go quietly as the bullpen allowed the Nationals to go no further, getting zeros from Downs, Putkonen, Smyly, and Valverde as they waited for the offense to come. They got a single run in the 2nd on a Fister single, but the big hit came from Tuisasosopo as he delivered a pinch hit 3 run homerun in the 6th inning to get the Tigers within a run. They wouldn’t be able to push the equalizer across in the final three, but they made it close. The loss drops the Tigers to 19-13 on the season and they will head home to face the Indians this weekend with Max Scherzer (4-0, 39.1 IP, 3.43 ERA, 1.99 FIP, 1.6 WAR) set to take the hill in the opener tomorrow night at Comerica Park.

The Moment: Tuiasosopo delivers the Tigers’ first pinch hit homerun of the year in the 6th.