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Riley Greene - Detroit Tigers - In Play! magazine
Riley Greene went 3-for-5 with a home run, two doubles, three runs scored, and three RBIs. File photo: John Barnes - In Play! magazine
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Jul

Detroit Tigers vs. Arizona Diamondbacks: Game Review July 29, 2025

The Detroit Tigers put on an offensive clinic at Comerica Park on Tuesday night, dominating the Arizona Diamondbacks 12-2 in front of 27,697 enthusiastic fans. This victory marked the Tigers’ third consecutive win, helping them rebound impressively after a difficult stretch where they lost 12 of 13 games.

Starting Pitchers

  • Detroit Tigers: Casey Mize, who struggled early and lasted just 1⅔ innings before being relieved
  • Arizona Diamondbacks: Brandon Pfaadt (10-7), who was chased in the fifth inning after surrendering three home runs

Game Highlights

The Diamondbacks struck first when Corbin Carroll led off the game with a triple into the right-field corner and Ketel Marte followed with an RBI single to make it 1-0. Arizona extended their lead to 2-0 in the second inning on Geraldo Perdomo’s sacrifice fly.

The Tigers’ bats came alive in the fourth inning when Dillon Dingler delivered a clutch two-run single with two outs to tie the game 2-2.

Then came the explosive fifth inning that completely changed the complexion of the game:

  • Gleyber Torres put Detroit ahead 3-2 with a solo home run
  • After Kerry Carpenter singled, Riley Greene crushed his 26th homer of the season to make it 5-2
  • Zach McKinstry capped off the homer barrage with a two-run shot, extending the lead to 7-2
  • Andy Ibáñez added an RBI single to make it 8-2

The Tigers continued their onslaught in the sixth inning, scoring three more runs on Greene’s RBI double, Wenceel Pérez’s RBI triple, and McKinstry’s RBI groundout. McKinstry added another RBI single in the eighth to complete the scoring.

Standout Performances

  • Riley Greene: The Tigers’ outfielder went 3-for-5 with a home run, two doubles, three runs scored, and three RBIs. This was his first three-hit game since June 28.
  • Wenceel Pérez: The young center fielder had a spectacular night, going 4-for-5 with four runs scored, a double, and a triple. He fell just a home run shy of hitting for the cycle.
  • Brant Hurter: After Mize’s early exit, Hurter (3-3) came in and pitched 3⅓ solid innings with three strikeouts to earn the win.
  • Zach McKinstry: Breaking out of a 2-for-33 slump, McKinstry contributed a home run and four RBIs to the Tigers’ offensive explosion.

Key Moment

The most spectacular defensive play of the night came in the fourth inning when Tigers center fielder Matt Vierling made an incredible juggling catch. He snagged a fly ball, crashed into the wall, bobbled the ball, and then caught it again just before it hit the warning track—potentially saving an inside-the-park home run.

Atmosphere at Comerica Park

The nearly 28,000 fans at Comerica Park were treated to a perfect summer evening of baseball that lasted 2 hours and 44 minutes. The crowd grew increasingly energetic as the Tigers’ offense exploded in the middle innings, with each of the three fifth-inning home runs drawing louder roars from the stands.

The victory improved the Tigers’ record to 63-46, moving them into a tie for the best record in the American League. It also guaranteed Detroit their first series win since the All-Star break, with a chance for a sweep in Wednesday afternoon’s finale.

The series concludes Wednesday with right-hander Chris Paddack (3-9, 4.95 ERA) making his Tigers debut after being acquired from the Minnesota Twins earlier in the week, facing Arizona’s Ryne Nelson (6-2, 3.29 ERA).

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IPM Editor