Tigers have 6-run 1st inning to defeat Rockies

DETROIT — Trey Sweeney hit a three-run home run as part of a six-run opening inning, and Kerry Carpenter fell a home run shy of a cycle in a 4-for-4 performance as the Tigers continued their late-season charge with a 7-4 win over the Rockies on Wednesday night at Comerica Park.

The Tigers’ fifth win in their last six games helped them keep pace in the American League Wild Card race. It was also a flip of the script from their comeback tendencies, instead building a big lead early before holding on late.

Not since July 7, 2018 had the Tigers posted a six-run opening inning, but Riley Greene’s 21st home run of the season — a line drive to the greenery over the right-field fence — ignited a Detroit offense that has scored 27 runs over its last three games. Matt Vierling singled and scored on a Carpenter triple.

Back-to-back two-out singles from Spencer Torkelson and Jace Jung set up Sweeney, who battled out of an 0-2 hole to hit a full-count slider deep to right for his fourth homer of the season and his second in three games.

The Tigers batted around off Rockies starter Tanner Gordon, but the scope of their hitting was impressive. Their six hits marked their most in an opening inning since April 23, 2022, the inning in which Miguel Cabrera recorded his 3,000th career hit. Wednesday’s six-hit attack included two hits each off of Gordon’s fastball, slider and changeup, two hits after 0-2 counts and was just missing a double for a team cycle.

Carpenter’s cycle watch featured four hits to the pull side, starting with the first-inning triple down the right-field line. He lined a single to right off Gordon’s 0-2 pitch in the third inning and lined a double into the right-field corner off reliever Jake Bird in the fifth inning. Carpenter stepped to the plate against lefty reliever Luis Peralta needing a home run for the Tigers’ first cycle since Carlos Guillen in 2006, but settled for an infield single.

Tigers starter Casey Mize, featuring his most effective splitter since his return from Tommy John surgery, quieted Colorado’s offense before a three-run rally chased him with two outs in the fifth, one out shy of qualifying for his first win at Comerica Park since July 29, 2021. He struck out seven over 4 2/3 innings and gave up four runs on six hits.