After the Tiger’s socking defeats in Boston and Chicago, Detroit’s last stop of their nine-game road trip was in a National League city, Philadelphia. Detroit started a short 2-game series against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Tuesday April 30th.
In game one of the series, it was Spencer Turnbull on the mound for the Tigers, as he looked to face Bryce Harper and the rest of the Phillies lineup. The Phillies would get to Turnbull in the top of the first inning by a Rhys Hoskins RBI groundout, Andrew McCutchen, scored on the play to give the Phillies an early 1-0 lead.
However, the Tigers would have a big inning in the top of the third. To start off the frame the veteran first baseman Miguel Cabrera would single into left field, Nicholas Castellanos would score to tie the game up at one (1-1).
One batter later, right fielder Niko Goodrum would step up to the plate with two runners on base. Goodrum would take advantage of his opportunity as he would launch a 2-run-homerun into the right field bleachers to give Detroit an 3-1 lead.
On the other side Tiger pitcher Spencer Turnbull was dealing against the Phillies offence in game one. At games end Turnbull would end his night with 5 strikeouts, one run allowed and 2-walks to the Phillies in 6 innings pitched.
In the end, the Tigers would go on to win the game by the score of 3-1, as they would take game one of the short interleague set.
In game two of the series it would be much of the same or the first five to six innings. The Phillies would strike first in the bottom of the 2nd inning. Cesar Hernandez would single on a ground ball to left field and J.T. Realmuto would score on the play to give Philadelphia an 1-0 lead. The Tigers wouldn’t score until the top of the 6th inning. Detroit would get their first run on a JaCoby Joens RBI single into left field, Ronny Rodriguez would score to tie the game up at one (1-1).
An inning later Detroit would look to take the lead. With runners on first and second, they would do just that. Ronny Rodriguez would hit an RBI single into left field, Nicholas Castellanos would score on the play to get Detroit out in front 2-1.
However, that lead would not last long for the Tigers. In the bottom of the 7th inning it would be Phillies second baseman Maikel Franco who would step up to the plate. Franco would smoke a line drive double into center field. J.T. Realmuto, Aaron Altherr and Cesar Hernandez would all score on the play to give Philly an 4-2 lead.
In the top of the 8th inning the Tigers would try to comeback, with the Phillies leading it 5-2. In the top of 8th with no runners on shortstop Jordy Mercer would step up to the plate. Mercer would hit a solo-homerun to left field to give Detroit and run back (5-3 PHI).
However, in the bottom of the 8th it would be the Phillies turn to hit the long ball. In the top of the 8th Rhys Hoskins would hit a solo-homerun to deep left field as he extended the Phillies lead 6-3. A few batters later Pinch Hitter Phil Gosselin would hit an RBI double to right field, Maikel Franco would score on the play and the Phillies would extend their lead 7-3.
In the end Philadelphia would win by that score of 7-3 and Detroit would split the short 2-game interleague series.
After the Tigers short two game series in Philadelphia, Detroit would come home to open a 2-game series with the Kansas City Royals at Comercia Park.
In game one of the series the Tigers would send their ace Matthew Boyd to the mound to take on K.C.’s lineup. On the other side the Royals would send 26-year-old Jorge Lopez to face the Tiger’s bats.
In game one it would be the Tigers who would be the ones to get the scoring started. In the top of the first inning with the bases juiced, Tiger first baseman Miguel Cabrera would hit a hard RBI single to center field to get the Tigers on the board 1-0. A few batters later Ronny Rodriguez would hit into a force out at third base, Nicholas Castellanos would score on the play to give Detroit another run (2-0). Detroit would get a third run on a wild pitch by Royals pitcher Jorge Lopez, Ronny Rodriguez would score to get Detroit ahead 3-0.
In the bottom of the third inning it would be Ronny Rodriguez who would produce a run for the Tigers. Rodriguez would hit an RBI double down the left field line, Nicholas Castellanos would score, and Detroit would extend their lead 4-0.
In the top of the 9th however, it would be the Royals who would try to mount a comeback. The Royals had scored 2-runs in the 4th to cut Detroit’s lead down to two. In the 9th Kansas City’s right fielder Jorge Soler would step up to the dish. Solar would hit a rocket to left field for a homerun, and it would cut Detroit’s lead down to one (4-3).
However, it would be the Tigers who would prevail in the end. Tigers closer Shane Greene would come on to earn his 13th save of the season and give the Tigers the first win of the series (4-3).
In the second game it would be all Royals and their bats. In the first inning K.C. would jump on Tiger starter Tyson Ross. The Royals would put up a four-spot on Ross and the Tigers. Then in the 2nd and 3rd innings the Royals would score three more runs. The first one would come by an Adalberto Mondesi triple in the 2nd, the next two runs would come by a Kevin Gutierrez double and an Adalberto Mondesi bases loaded walk.
Detroit would get two runs back in the 3rd via a Jeimer Candelario 2-run-homerun to make the game 7-2 K.C. However, that wouldn't be enough. The Royals would score two more runs in the 5th and then they would go on a tear in the 8th inning by scoring 6 runs in that frame. In the end Kansas City would end up winning the game by the score of 15-3.
The third and final game of the series would be a nail-biter until the end. The Royals would get the first run of the game in the top of the first inning via a Kevin Gutierrez RBI single into left field. Jorge Soler would score on the play to make the game 1-0 K.C. In the bottom of the second inning however, Detroit would return the favor. Tigers right fielder Nicholas Castellanos would hit an RBI single to left field that would tie the game up at one (1-1). Three innings later in the bottom of the 5th the Tigers would take the lead right back. In the 5th, first baseman Miguel Cabrera would hit a sharp line drive RBI single to center, to give Detroit the lead 2-1.
However, four innings later in the top of the 8th Kansas City would tie the game up again. In the 8th Royals designated hitter Hunter Dozier would step up to the plate for K.C. Dozier would hit a solo-homerun to right field to tie the game up a two (2-2).
However, the bottom of the 10th would be what the Tigers were looking for all along. In the bottom of the 10th rookie Brandon Dixon would step up to the plate in a pinch-hit appearance with two runners on and two men out. With two balls and two strikes on the rookie right-hander, Dixon would hit a fly ball to right field that would just get over the yellow line for a walk-off three-run homerun. The Tigers would win the game by the score of 5-2 in 10-innings.
Detroit will now finish up their home stand against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on Tuesday, May 7th before they take the road again, as they head to Minnesota.
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