 took the loss after facing three batters in the seventh. He walked two and allowed a single.Victor Alcantara (3-1) earned the win.TRAINER'S ROOMNationals: Manager Dave Martinez said Ryan Zimmerman, reinstated Friday from the injured list, and other everyday players have been instructed to not go all-out every single play.''There's times where I tell them, a base hit is a base hit,'' Martinez said. ''It's not only just 162 games, it's everything that goes with it. The traveling, the up and downs, the day games, the night games. There's a lot involved. When these guys got to get up every day and play every day, you got to figure out ways to be smart about what you do.'' Zimmerman is recovering from plantar fasciitis in his right foot.Tigers: Jones returned to the lineup after sitting out a game because he fouled a ball off his foot on Thursday.GARDY GONETigers manager Ron Gardenhire was ejected after Dozier's double. The ejection, which came after a close call on the previous pitch that would have ended the inning, if it were called a strike, was Gardenhire's seventh of the season.HELPING OF HEATThe Tigers announced the signing of former St. Louis closer Trevor Rosenthal to a minor-league deal on Saturday.The hard-throwing right-hander pitched 12 games this season with Washington, posting a 22.74 ERA. He missed the 2018 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery on his elbow.The 29-year-old Rosenthal had 121 saves in six seasons with the Cardinals and will be assigned to Triple-A Toledo.GLORY DAYSThe Tigers celebrated the 1984 World Series championship team on the 35th anniversary of the title in a pre-game celebration.UP NEXTNationals: RHP Max Scherzer (7-5, 2.52 ERA) will pitch in Comerica Park for the first time since leaving the Tigers as a free agent after the 2014 season.Tigers: RHP Jordan Zimmermann (0-5, 5.95) will face his former team for the second time since leaving the Nationals after the 2015 season.--More MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/-Sports)
Depleted Tigers turn to minor league call-up vs. NatsFLMThe Tigers carry an eight-game losing streak into their Saturday game against the Washington Nationals in Detroit. The fact that they needed to recall Gregory Soto from the minors on to start the game shows how desperate things have become for the downtrodden organization.Soto has made five spot starts for the Tigers this season, posting an 0-2 record and 8.66 ERA. He hasn't gone longer than four innings in any of those outings, but the Tigers don't have many options. Injuries have shredded the starting staff."It's not an easy thing," manager Ron Gardenhire of his rotation, according to the Detroit News. "We're just looking for healthy arms right now. We've taxed this organization as much as you can tax it." Washington has won nine of its past 11 games, including the first game of the series, 3-1 on Friday. The Tigers have lost 21 of their past 23 games at Comerica Park.Austin Voth will make his fourth career start and second this season for the Nationals. He made his season debut on Sunday and held Atlanta to two runs on four hits in six innings while striking out seven.The 27-year-old right-hander started 12 games for Triple-A Fresno before his call-up and went 3-5 with a 4.40 ERA. He'll get his first look at the Tigers."I really liked what I saw. I really did," Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. "Everything was good. We'll see where he fits in, but I was very impressed. Especially in the sixth inning, still throwing 94 miles an hour. And (he) looked very poised. It was awesome." Washington's offense has been flexing its muscles of late, as well. The Nationals have homered in 13 consecutive games, including a long blast by Juan Soto on Friday."We're staying on the ball and we're getting pitches in the strike zone to hit," Martinez said. "The key is to hit strikes. Don't chase, work ahead in the counts. They've been doing that." Washington first baseman Ryan Zimmerman was activated from the 10-day injured list on Friday after recovering from plantar fasciitis. However, his playing time will be reduced from previous seasons. Matt Adams and Howie Kendrick have batted well in his absence."I've talked to (Zimmerman) about it," Martinez said. "He's not going to come here and play every day nine innings. And he understands that Howie and Matt are both doing well, so they're going to get some playing time as well." Zimmerman served as the designated hitter in his return Friday. He went 1-for-3 with a walk.The Nationals might have found another arm for the back end of their bullpen. Fernando Rodney, rescued from the scrap heap after being designated for assignment by the Oakland A's, notched his first save this season with a clean ninth inning Friday."He's an amazing human being, probably a better person than he is a pitcher and he's a damn good pitcher," Gardenhire said of the 42-year-old right-hander. "Seeing him out there still is a testament to how hard he's worked and how he's kept himself in good shape at his age. And he's still got a good arm." --Field Level Media
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