​Detroit was the center of attention for the first five innings Friday night, with the atmosphere turning increasingly electric even as rain clouds drifted in during the fourth and fifth frames, scattering spectators but not stopping play. The weather added a moody, almost theatrical backdrop to a game that would soon swing decisively in the Tigers’ favor.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Tigers’ offense—again sparked by rookie Eduardo Valenzuela—took over, delivering all the entertainment a festive Comerica Park crowd of 34,084 could crave. They erased a 2-2 deadlock with a five-run outburst and went on to cruise to a 10-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday night. It was Detroit’s sixth straight win (now 44-50), their ninth win in 10 games, and they have the best record in baseball since June 1 (22-12). After stalling for five innings against Phillies starter Aaron Nola, Detroit finally broke through against lefty reliever Tim Mayza.
The rally began with walks to Riley Greene and pinch-hitter Matt Vierling, setting the table for Valenzuela, who had struck out twice against Nola but lined a single to left-center to break the tie. Zach McKinstry followed with a well-executed safety squeeze bunt to score Vierling. James Outman then ripped a ball into the gap in right-center for a two-run triple, and he later scored on a balk by Mayza, capping the big inning with more thunder to come.
In the seventh, against right-hander Max Lazar, Colt Keith launched his eighth homer, a 415-foot shot deep into the seats in right-center. After Greene drew another walk, Spencer Torkelson lined his 16th homer over the left-center wall, helping the Tigers widen the gap as the night wore on. Detroit has now connected for an MLB-leading 63 homers in 34 games since June 1, underscoring the team’s power surge of late.
Kevin McGonigle, the Philadelphia rookie, had provided the initial spark for Detroit in the third inning with a 92-mph sinker from Nola that he lofted 414 feet over the left-center fence for his eighth homer, briefly giving the Tigers a 2-1 edge. That moment, though, would be the extent of Detroit’s damage against Nola, who entered the game with a 5.87 ERA and a disappointing season arc in every metric. He pitched to his strengths in a way that frustrated Detroit hitters, leaning heavily on secondary pitches while getting the Tigers to chase his knuckle-curve (six whiffs on 12 swings) and changeup (five whiffs on nine swings). Nola logged eight strikeouts over five innings.
Detroit’s starter, Jack Flaherty, wasn’t as economical as Nola, but he delivered a quality start of his own, permitting two runs and two hits over six innings. The two runs came off hits from former Tiger Derek Hill, who joined the lineup late after Justin Crawford was scratched with left knee soreness. Hill delivered a solo homer in the third inning and added an RBI single in the fourth after Flaherty had loaded the bases with two walks and a hit-by-pitch.
In the broader context, the Tigers’ offense has shown it can erupt at will, especially when the lineup is rolling and the pitching is dependable. The team’s current stretch reflects not only their recent dominance against a series of opponents but also the depth and resilience that could propel them deeper into the season. As the All-Star festivities approach, players like McGonigle, Greene, Dingler, and Verlander could find themselves in discussions about the future of Detroit’s roster, given the way they’ve contributed to this formidable surge.
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