Greene continues hot stretch, driving in 4 runs for 2nd time in a week as Tigers beat Pirates 9-2
DETROIT -- — Riley Greene drove in four runs for the second time in a week, leading the Detroit Tigers to a 9-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first game of Thursday's doubleheader.
Tigers starter Tarik Skubal (8-2) improved to 8-0 over his last 13 starts, allowing two runs on six hits and three walks in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out six.
Greene, who also had four RBI in Friday's 11-5 win over the Cincinnati Reds, is hitting .333 with 15 RBI in 16 games in June. He also hit one of Detroit's four sacrifice flies — a total they had only reached once in at least 70 years. They also had four in an 11-inning, 8-7 win against the Baltimore Orioles on June 10, 1985.
Andrew Heaney (3-6) took the loss, giving up seven runs on eight hits and three walks in four innings.
Zach McKinstry had a solo homer in the fifth inning for the Tigers.
Andrew McCutchen had an RBI single in the fifth, and Tommy Pham got a sacrifice fly for the Pirates in the sixth.
Pittsburgh had a chance to get to Skubal early, loading the bases with one out in the first on a single and two walks. However, Skubal struck out Ke'Bryan Hayes and retired Isiah Kiner-Falefa on a fly ball to end the inning.
The Houston Astros were the last MLB team to have four sacrifice flies in a game, doing it in a 14-3 win over the Minnesota Twins on June 13, 2021.
The teams finish the doubleheader at 6:10 p.m., with Pirates ace RHP Paul Skenes (4-6, 1.78) facing a Tigers opener. RHP Keider Montero (3-1, 4.24) is expected to do the bulk of the pitching.
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Regular Season Series
DET leads 2-0
Game Information
- Umpires:
- Home Plate Umpire - Edwin Moscoso
- First Base Umpire - Tyler Jones
- Second Base Umpire - Chad Whitson
- Third Base Umpire - Chris Guccione
2025 National League Central Standings
Team | W | L | PCT | GB | STRK |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chicago | 50 | 35 | .588 | - | W1 |
Milwaukee | 47 | 37 | .560 | 2.5 | L1 |
St. Louis | 47 | 40 | .540 | 4 | L2 |
Cincinnati | 44 | 41 | .518 | 6 | L1 |
Pittsburgh | 37 | 50 | .425 | 14 | W5 |
2025 American League Central Standings
Team | W | L | PCT | GB | STRK |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Detroit | 53 | 32 | .624 | - | W2 |
Cleveland | 40 | 43 | .482 | 12 | L5 |
Minnesota | 40 | 45 | .471 | 13 | L3 |
Kansas City | 40 | 46 | .465 | 13.5 | W1 |
Chicago | 28 | 57 | .329 | 25 | L1 |