Jonathan Schoop and Kerry Carpenter hit back-to-back homers in the sixth and the Detroit Tigers snapped an eight-game losing streak with a 7-5 win over the Cleveland Guardians in the second game of a doubleheader on Monday.
The home run was Carpenter’s first of his career. He finished with three hits and scored three runs. Victor Reyes and Tucker Barnhart each supplied three hits and two RBIs.
Andres Gimenez homered for the second straight game. Luke Maile also homered and drove in two runs, while Steven Kwan added two hits and an RBI for Cleveland.
The Guardians won the opener 4-1 behind Gimenez’s three-run homer.
Detroit starter Bryan Garcia (1-0) gave up three runs and five hits in six innings. Gregory Soto recorded his 21st save.
In his major league debut, Cleveland starter Xzavion Curry gave up three runs and eight hits in five innings.
First baseman Josh Naylor left the game with an ankle injury.
The Tigers scored in the second with two out. Carpenter ripped a double off the right field wall and Barnhart drove him in with a single.
Owen Miller led off the bottom of the fourth with a single before Gimenez drilled a changeup over the right field fence. Maile made it 3-1 with a two-out homer to left field.
Detroit knotted the score in the fifth. Barnhart led off with a single and moved to second on Riley Greene’s one-out single. Reyes drove in Barnhart with another single and Willi Castro’s fielder’s choice grounder brought in Greene.
Schoop and Carpenter gave Detroit a 5-3 lead with their consecutive long balls in the sixth off Eli Morgan (4-3). Schoop’s ninth homer was pulled to left, while Carpenter’s shot cleared the right-center field wall.
The Guardians pulled within a run in the seventh. Will Benson and Tyler Freeman drew walks against Jose Cisnero and Kwan knocked in Benson with a single.
The Tigers increased their lead to 7-4 in the eighth. Schoop and Carpenter had back-to-back singles and moved into scoring position on Bryan Shaw’s wild pitch. Barnhart drove in Schoop with a single, and Carpenter scored on Reyes’ base hit off Sam Hentges.
Maile drove in a run in the ninth on a bloop single.
–Field Level Media