The Tigers chipped away at a 4-0 hole after five innings in San Francisco on Tuesday night, but couldn't get the big hit they needed in a 4-3 loss to the Giants.
Miguel Cabrera had an RBI single in the sixth, and Jeimer Candelario followed that up with a double in the seventh that brought Willi Castro home.
Castro did his part in the next inning with a base hit that scored Riley Greene, but Detroit ended up leaving the bases loaded as Camilo Doval came in from the bullpen to register the final four outs for San Francisco.