DETROIT — On a rain-soaked evening, Gleyber Torres showcased his power with two home runs, and Riley Greene drove in four runs to propel the Detroit Tigers to a commanding 11-5 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.
Greene contributed significantly for the Tigers, launching a solo homer in the third inning and clearing the bases with a three-run double in the sixth. These efforts improved the Tigers’ impressive record to 19-4 in series openers. Among the few bright spots for the Reds were homers by TJ Friedl and Elly De La Cruz.
The game had a thrilling start as Torres took the first pitch from Nick Martinez deep for a home run, marking his fourth career leadoff homer. TJ Friedl equalized in the third inning with a homer against Keider Montero, but Greene quickly responded, hitting a home run over the Reds’ bullpen to regain the lead for the Tigers.
Javier Báez extended Detroit’s advantage with a fourth-inning homer, but De La Cruz countered with his 14th home run in the fifth, making it the fifth solo homer of the matchup. The Tigers then capitalized in the sixth inning with a scoring outburst. Martinez walked Báez and handed over pitching duties to Scott Barlow, who subsequently loaded the bases with a single and a walk. Torres knocked in a run with a sacrifice fly, and Taylor Rogers also struggled on the mound.
Jahmai Jones added to the offensive surge with an infield single, reloading the bases, and Greene’s line drive eluded a diving Spencer Steer, leading to a three-run double and a 7-2 lead. An intentional walk coupled with an error filled the bases once again, but Ian Gibault relieved Rogers and managed to escape the inning without further damage.
Torres powered another home run in the seventh inning, while Báez’s productive night continued with an RBI double in the eighth, adding three more runs for the Tigers. In a late rally, De La Cruz recorded an RBI double and scored in the ninth for the Reds.
The game witnessed a delayed start by seven minutes as rain fell consistently throughout the event.
A crucial moment unfolded in the sixth inning when Steer’s diving attempt could have potentially kept the Reds closer in the run tally at 4-2.
Notably, Roger’s offensive output now includes 201 career RBIs, making him the first Tigers player to reach the 200-RBI milestone before turning 25 since Travis Fryman achieved this in 1993.
Looking ahead, Detroit’s RHP Jack Flaherty, holding a 5-6 record with a 3.41 ERA, is slated to face Cincinnati’s RHP Brady Singer on Saturday, who sports a 6-4 record and a 4.59 ERA.