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The Detroit Tigers' former top-overall picks proved to be the difference Saturday against the Kansas City Royals.
Spencer Torkelson broke the scoreless tie in the fifth inning with a towering three-run home run to left field to give starting pitcher Casey Mize some breathing room. Mize continued his dominant performance in his fourth start of the season, cruising through six innings before allowing a solo home run to Freddy Fermin in the seventh inning.
Torkelson's home run was enough for the Tigers (13-8), who held on down the stretch for the 3-1 win.
Torkelson shook up what was shaping up as a pitchers' duel between Mize and Kansas City starter Seth Lugo, who cruised through the first four innings unscathed.
Javier Báez led off the fifth inning with a sharp single through the left side of the infield, followed by a one-out single from Kerry Carpenter to start off the third time through the Tigers batting order. Torkelson fell behind 0-2 in the next at-bat before watching one pitch and fouling one off. He then got underneath a Lugo splitter down the middle for the 359-foot home run, his seventh of the season. He is now up to 21 RBIs in 21 games, tied for the third-most in MLB.
IL UPDATE: Detroit Tigers place reliever John Brebbia on 15-day IL with right triceps strain
Mize avoided damage from the Royals through the first six innings before giving up a solo home run. Mize gave up one run on four hits and one walk and had three strikeouts. It is the fifth time in Mize's career he has pitched at least seven innings, and the first time since July 29, 2021.
The Tigers have won three straight over the Royals in the four-game set at Comerica Park to pick up a third series win over AL Central opponents in as many tries. The Tigers are now 8-1 at home.
Mize opened the game with two of his three strikeouts in the top of the first inning. He got leadoff hitter Jonathan India to chase a slurve outside the zone, and then stranded Bobby Witt Jr. at first by getting Salvador Perez to wave and miss at another slurve outside the zone.
Mize stranded runners on base in the second and third innings before a flawless fourth inning. Kansas City put two on base in the fifth inning after a Trey Sweeney error and India single, but Mize avoided damage thanks to a Witt flyout.
He cruised through the sixth and the first two batters of the seventh inning before giving up a solo home run to Fermin to left center field. He ended his day with a groundout that was initially ruled a single but overturned after review.
Mize threw 88 pitches with 63 for strikes. He threw 34 fastballs at an average of 94.8 mph, followed by 21 splitters, 12 sinkers, 12 sliders and nine slurves. He picked up nine swing and misses, with four coming from the fastball, two from the splitter and two on the slurve.
Brenan Hanifee replaced him in the eighth inning and kept Kansas City off the board despite a leadoff double from India. Will Vest picked up his first save with a scoreless ninth inning.
Carpenter started in the leadoff spot for the first time in his MLB career. Manager A.J. Hinch said the decision stemmed from Carpenter serving as the "biggest threat" to the right-handed Lugo and the Royals' bullpen management.
"It’s a quick turnaround when you look at the 19th hitter of the game," Hinch said pregame.
The Tigers' only offensive output came when the lineup card turned from the bottom to the top for the third time in the fifth inning. Carpenter won a six-pitch battle with Lugo in a two-out situation by reaching base on a single to set up Torkelson's home run.
Jared Ramsey covers sports for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at [email protected]; Follow Jared on X or Bluesky.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers score: Spencer Torkelson, Casey Mize lead way vs Royals
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Spencer Torkelson broke the scoreless tie in the fifth inning with a towering three-run home run to left field to give starting pitcher Casey Mize some breathing room. Mize continued his dominant performance in his fourth start of the season, cruising through six innings before allowing a solo home run to Freddy Fermin in the seventh inning.
Torkelson's home run was enough for the Tigers (13-8), who held on down the stretch for the 3-1 win.
Torkelson shook up what was shaping up as a pitchers' duel between Mize and Kansas City starter Seth Lugo, who cruised through the first four innings unscathed.
Javier Báez led off the fifth inning with a sharp single through the left side of the infield, followed by a one-out single from Kerry Carpenter to start off the third time through the Tigers batting order. Torkelson fell behind 0-2 in the next at-bat before watching one pitch and fouling one off. He then got underneath a Lugo splitter down the middle for the 359-foot home run, his seventh of the season. He is now up to 21 RBIs in 21 games, tied for the third-most in MLB.
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IL UPDATE: Detroit Tigers place reliever John Brebbia on 15-day IL with right triceps strain
Mize avoided damage from the Royals through the first six innings before giving up a solo home run. Mize gave up one run on four hits and one walk and had three strikeouts. It is the fifth time in Mize's career he has pitched at least seven innings, and the first time since July 29, 2021.
The Tigers have won three straight over the Royals in the four-game set at Comerica Park to pick up a third series win over AL Central opponents in as many tries. The Tigers are now 8-1 at home.
Mize goes deep
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Mize opened the game with two of his three strikeouts in the top of the first inning. He got leadoff hitter Jonathan India to chase a slurve outside the zone, and then stranded Bobby Witt Jr. at first by getting Salvador Perez to wave and miss at another slurve outside the zone.
Mize stranded runners on base in the second and third innings before a flawless fourth inning. Kansas City put two on base in the fifth inning after a Trey Sweeney error and India single, but Mize avoided damage thanks to a Witt flyout.
He cruised through the sixth and the first two batters of the seventh inning before giving up a solo home run to Fermin to left center field. He ended his day with a groundout that was initially ruled a single but overturned after review.
Mize threw 88 pitches with 63 for strikes. He threw 34 fastballs at an average of 94.8 mph, followed by 21 splitters, 12 sinkers, 12 sliders and nine slurves. He picked up nine swing and misses, with four coming from the fastball, two from the splitter and two on the slurve.
Brenan Hanifee replaced him in the eighth inning and kept Kansas City off the board despite a leadoff double from India. Will Vest picked up his first save with a scoreless ninth inning.
Damage third time through lineup
Carpenter started in the leadoff spot for the first time in his MLB career. Manager A.J. Hinch said the decision stemmed from Carpenter serving as the "biggest threat" to the right-handed Lugo and the Royals' bullpen management.
"It’s a quick turnaround when you look at the 19th hitter of the game," Hinch said pregame.
The Tigers' only offensive output came when the lineup card turned from the bottom to the top for the third time in the fifth inning. Carpenter won a six-pitch battle with Lugo in a two-out situation by reaching base on a single to set up Torkelson's home run.
Jared Ramsey covers sports for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at [email protected]; Follow Jared on X or Bluesky.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers score: Spencer Torkelson, Casey Mize lead way vs Royals
Continue reading...
