Tigers blow early 6-0 lead, drop seventh straight, 9-7 to Athletics

DETROIT (AP) -- Jed Lowrie didn't need a home run this time. A single up the middle was plenty.

Lowrie drove in the tiebreaking run in the top of the ninth inning for a second straight game, and the Oakland Athletics rallied from six runs down to beat Detroit 9-7 on Tuesday night, handing the Tigers their seventh straight loss.

A day after his ninth-inning homer gave the A's a victory at Detroit on Monday, Lowrie singled home Matt Joyce to break a 7-all tie.

"I'm trying to, bottom line, get the guy over -- by hitting a groundball to the right side," Lowrie said. "He left a two-seamer over the middle of the plate and I was able to drive it back up the middle."

It was Lowrie's fourth hit of the night. Joyce had doubled off Shane Greene (2-5) to lead off the ninth. Lowrie also came in to score an insurance run on a single by pinch-hitter Dustin Fowler.

Detroit led 6-0 after three innings.

Chad Pinder and Lowrie hit consecutive homers in the fifth for the A's, who extended their record streak to 27 straight road games with a home run.

Ryan Buchter (2-0) pitched a scoreless eighth for Oakland, and Blake Treinen finished for his 19th save in 21 chances.

The Tigers scored four runs in the first. Nicholas Castellanos hit an RBI double, and Niko Goodrum drove in two runs with a double of his own. James McCann's RBI single made it 4-0.

Dixon Machado added a two-run triple in the third for Detroit.

Oakland starter Frankie Montas allowed six runs and eight hits in three innings.

Blaine Hardy was breezing along for the Tigers until he gave up three unearned runs in the fourth. First baseman John Hicks mishandled a throw for an error with two outs. Mark Canha followed with an RBI double, and Jonathan Lucroy added a two-run double to make it 6-3.

"That's a play that I should make every time, but I didn't come up with the ball," Hicks said. "I didn't say anything to Hardy at the time -- I just wanted to let him pitch -- but I'm going to apologize, because I stuck him with three runs that he didn't deserve."

Hicks rebounded a bit with an RBI single in the bottom of the fourth, but Hardy didn't retire a batter in the fifth. Pinder hit a two-run homer, and Lowrie followed with a solo shot to make it 7-6. Hardy was taken out after a walk to Khris Davis, and Buck Farmer came on in relief and shut the A's out for two innings.

Oakland finally tied it in the seventh. With rain coming down hard at times, Detroit reliever Louis Coleman had all sorts of problems. He got only one out and allowed a single and two walks. Alex Wilson took his place with the bases loaded and allowed a run-scoring grounder by Matt Olson.

Hicks struck out with the bases loaded to end the eighth.

STRONG IN RELIEF

After Montas went only three innings, the A's were able to get back in the game with the help of relievers Chris Hatcher and Emilio Pagan. They held Detroit to only one run over the next four innings.

"Some guys really came up big, especially Pagan and Hatcher with the two innings (each)," A's manager Bob Melvin said.

DEJA VU

Greene took the loss for a second straight game.

"My frustration level is maxed out right now, but as long as the sun is shining when I wake up tomorrow, I'll be OK," Greene said. "My confidence is there, even though I'm really frustrated."

TRAINER'S ROOM

Tigers: LHP Daniel Stumpf, on the disabled list with ulnar nerve irritation, made a rehab appearance Monday night with Triple-A Toledo. He threw 1 2/3 hitless innings against Indianapolis.

UP NEXT

Oakland LHP Sean Manaea (7-6) takes the mound Wednesday night against Detroit RHP Mike Fiers (5-4). Manaea is 2-0 this month with a 2.81 ERA.