Jonathan Schoop and Kerry Carpenter hit back-to-back homers in the sixth inning 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.
Carpenter socked the first homer of his career and finished with three hits and three runs. Victor Reyes and Tucker Barnhart each supplied three hits and two RBIs for the Tigers.
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. He struck out five without issuing a walk. Gregory Soto allowed a run in the ninth inning but recorded his 21st save.
In his major league debut, Cleveland starter Xzavion Curry gave up three runs and eight hits in five innings. He fanned three and walked one.
Guardians first baseman Josh Naylor left the game after three innings due to an ankle injury.
The Tigers opened the scoring in the second inning with two outs. Carpenter ripped a double off the right field wall and Barnhart drove him in with a single.
Cleveland’s 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’ two-out base hit off Sam Hentges.
Maile drove in a run in the ninth on a bloop single.
–Field Level Media
