Detroit Tigers at Athletics

Striking out in each of his first two at-bats on Saturday reminded Tigers rookie Max Clark that big league baseball isn’t as easy as Clark made it seem in his electric MLB debut on Friday. Athletics starter Jack Perkins got the best of Clark in the first and fourth innings on Saturday at Sutter Health Park, striking out Detroit’s top prospect swinging on a four-seam fastball and catching Clark looking on a backdoor sweeper. “Definitely like a ‘Welcome to The Show’ moment,” Clark said. “Just got dominated with the spin.” But when Clark came up again in the sixth with nobody out and Spencer Torkelson on first base, it was time to turn the tables. After fouling off a changeup and then a fastball, Clark got the sweeper he was waiting for and powered it over the right-field wall for his first Major League home run. Part of an 8-6 win over the A’s, it was just another Max Clark moment in a weekend full of them so far. “It’s been a blast,” Clark said. “It’s been a surreal 48 hours.” Called up from Triple-A Toledo on Friday after outfielder Matt Vierling’s left adductor strain, Clark wasted no time by going 3-for-4 with two doubles, two runs scored, a walk and an RBI in his debut. He kept it going Saturday, adding a sharply hit single in the ninth inning for his second straight multihit contest. “He continues to contribute these first two games,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “A lot to like about what he’s doing.”