Kerry Carpenter, Akil Baddoo provide Tigers with dramatic 3-2 comeback win over Mariners

One day after scoring 15 runs, the Detroit Tigers didn't score any runs until the eighth inning Wednesday against the Seattle Mariners.

The Tigers eventually scored, thanks to Kerry Carpenter's third home run in two games.

The clutch homer helped propel the Tigers to a 3-2 victory over the Mariners in the second of three games at Comerica Park, winning on a walk-off double by pinch-hitter Akil Baddoo in the 10th inning.

"I think it probably makes it gratifying for all the work and all the stress and all the hope," manager A.J. Hinch said of Baddoo, who has been optioned four times to Triple-A Toledo this season. "This year has been bus rides and trips up here and small stints and not a lot of opportunity. ... It's got to feel good for him, and I'm happy he has that moment because he deserves it by how he works."

The Tigers (58-63) — winners in three consecutive games — received a much-needed swing in the eighth inning, facing right-handed reliever Yimi García. Carpenter, who had been 0-for-3 with three strikeouts, pulled a middle-middle fastball with two strikes and two outs for a two-run home run to right field, tying the game at 2.

"It's not easy, but it's something you have to do if you want to be the best," Carpenter said. "I want to be at my best every at-bat. I can't go up there thinking that I don't want to strike out four times. I got to think like it's my first at-bat of the day."

Matt Vierling set the table for Carpenter with a two-out double.

It was Carpenter's 11th homer in 52 games this season.

"He missed one pitch," Carpenter said, "and I took advantage."

Carpenter, a dangerous slugger against right-handed pitchers, returned from a 78-day stint on the injured list for Tuesday's 15-1 win over the Mariners, in which he hit two homers as part of a three-hit performance. He has five homers in his last five games, dating back to late May.

"It's a whole lot of God's grace to be right here right now," Carpenter said of his three homers in two games. "To be on this team and back healthy and contribute, it's just a blessing."

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Neither team scored in the ninth inning.

In the top of the 10th, left-handed reliever Tyler Holton retired three batters in a row: Jorge Polanco (strikeout), Randy Arozarena (strikeout) and Cal Raleigh (flyout).

"He has started games, he's pitched in the middle, he's closed, he's now pitched in the 10th inning," Hinch said of Holton, who has a 2.66 ERA in a multi-purpose role. "He can do it all. In that time of the game, if you can draw up a perfect scenario, it's to be able to miss bats ... because they can put two balls in play and score without even getting a hit."

The Tigers won in the bottom of the 10th, as the free runner in extra innings — Parker Meadows — scored from second base on Baddoo's walk-off double to the warning track in center field.

Baddoo, who pinch-hit for Jake Rogers, smacked a two-strike cutter from right-handed reliever Collin Snider.

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Carving up Tigers

Right-hander Bryan Woo has pitched into the seventh inning in three consecutive starts, including the past two against the Tigers. He fired seven scoreless innings on 85 pitches for one of the best starts in his career.

Woo limited the Tigers to four hits.

"I feel like he didn't miss a pitch to me," Carpenter said, "and he's got great stuff."

The four hits: Justyn-Henry Malloy's single and Vierling's single in the third inning, Malloy's single in the fifth inning and Bligh Madris' single in the seventh inning.

The Tigers produced several hard hits, including a few hard-hit outs to the warning track, but Woo stranded runners. In the third inning, Carpenter struck out swinging to strand runners on first and second base. After Madris' single in the seventh, Woo struck out Meadows and Malloy to end the inning.

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Relievers on the mound

Left-handed reliever Bryan Sammons didn't start for the Tigers like he used to start in Triple-A Toledo, but came out of the bullpen as the long reliever with another impressive performance.

"I thought, overall, I did a pretty good job of attacking the zone," Sammons said.

In the fifth, Dylan Moore doubled to right-center field. With two outs, Polanco smacked an inside cutter into left field for an RBI single, giving the Mariners a 1-0 lead.

Otherwise, Sammons cruised through 5⅔ innings. He allowed one run on two hits and two walks with four strikeouts, throwing 74 pitches. After the Mariners scored, Sammons struck out Arozarena with a back-breaking, up-and-in fastball to avoid further damage.

Sammons, who has a 3.38 ERA in 18⅔ innings, replaced right-hander reliever Beau Brieske, the opener for Wednesday's game. Brieske struggled to command his pitches, but survived the first four outs without allowing a run before Sammons took over with one out in the second inning.

The Mariners took a 2-0 lead in the eighth inning.

Right-handed reliever Will Vest struck out the first batter he faced, but the batter — Victor Robles — advanced to first base on a wild pitch. Robles moved up to second base on a groundout, then took third base on a fielder's choice.

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Vest snagged a hard-hit grounder and tried to throw out Robles at third base, but third baseman Gio Urshela didn't cover the bag in time, allowing Robles to slide in safely at the hot corner.

Robles scored for a two-run advantage when Julio Rodríguez dropped a bloop single into left field with one out and the bases loaded. The ball should've been caught on the run by Malloy, but he slowed down and let the ball drop in front of him.

Vest threw 34 pitches and recorded just one out.

Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Tigers come through with dramatic 3-2 comeback win over Mariners