Brant Hurter pitched effectively in the role of a bulk-innings reliever and the Detroit Tigers took advantage of a door-opening error to score twice in the seventh inning en route to a 2-1 road victory over the Oakland Athletics on Saturday afternoon.With a second win in the last three days on the road, the Tigers (72-71) kept their hopes alive in a tight battle for American League wild-card playoff positions. Detroit began the weekend 5 1/2 games out of the final spot.Desperate for a win, the Tigers were unable to crack Oakland minor league call-up Brady Basso for six innings, getting just three hits and falling behind 1-0.But Colt Keith greeted reliever T.J. McFarland (2-2) with a single to open the seventh. When A’s second baseman Zack Gelof dropped a throw at second base after Spencer Torkelson’s grounder to third, suddenly the Tigers had the potential go-ahead run aboard.Both baserunners eventually came around to score in quiet fashion as pinch hitter Jake Rogers drew a walk, Dillon Dingler grounded into a fielder’s choice to tie the game and Parker Meadows brought home the eventual difference maker with a sacrifice fly.Both runs were unearned.Making his first big-league start, Basso struck out six and walked one in his six shutout innings.Oakland’s only tally off Hurter (4-1) in 5 1/3 innings came in the fifth when Gelof singled, stole second and scored on Kyle McCann’s RBI single.
