Riley Greene's bat ignited a rout, blasting a season-first homer as Tigers dominated the Marlins, securing a resounding series victory.
DETROIT, MI: While Riley Green's batting average was off to a rocky start, lost in the fans frustration, that he had reached safely in 15 straight games after his single in the first inning. However, the Riley Greene that fans were accustomed to seeing was back, as he hit a 408 blast to right for his first of the season as Detroit took the series from the Marlins 6 to 1. With the win, Detroit improves to 6-9 and A.J. Hinch got his 400th win as a Tigers manager.
Miami's Janson Junk took the ball for the Marlins and lived up to his name on this particular Saturday. The right-hander was chased after five and two-thirds innings, surrendering five Detroit runs in a performance that unraveled most damagingly in the third inning.
The Tigers struck first in the bottom of the first, needing very little to get on the board. Kevin McGonigle led off the frame with a double, his sixth of the young season, and was promptly driven to third on a Wenceel Pérez groundout. Colt Keith then laced a line drive double to left, plating McGonigle and giving Detroit an early 1-0 lead. Two batters later, Riley Greene stroked a sharp single to right, scoring Keith to make it 2-0. It was a clean, efficient inning that set the tone for the afternoon.
Miami tried to answer in the second with Otto Lopez doubling to lead off the frame and reaching third on a flyout, but the Marlins stranded him there as Casey Mize buckled down to retire the next two batters.
Then came the third inning, and with it, the moment that will be the enduring image of this game.
After a pair of unlikely events — catcher's interference by Agustín Ramírez and a wild pitch by Junk that moved the runners up — Greene stepped to the plate with two runners in scoring position and the Marlins' starter clearly rattled. What happened next silenced any remaining murmurs about Greene's slow start. He drove a ball deep to right-center field, a towering shot that traveled 408 feet and landed well beyond the wall for a three-run home run. Just like that, it was 5-0 Tigers, and Comerica Park erupted.
It was Greene's first home run of the 2026 season, and it felt overdue. The outfielder entered Saturday's game with a modest batting average that had drawn scrutiny from Tigers fans eager to see their centerpiece outfielder produce. But buried beneath the frustration was a telling detail — Greene had now reached base safely in 15 consecutive games.
Casey Mize worked into the sixth inning, navigating traffic but largely keeping the Marlins at bay. Miami managed their only run in the fourth when Connor Norby delivered a sacrifice fly that scored Liam Hicks, who had reached on a single and moved up on an Otto Lopez double. But that was all the Marlins could muster against Mize, who gave way to Drew Anderson in the sixth after Lopez reached on a McGonigle error and Norby hit a ground-rule double with two outs. Anderson stranded both inherited runners with a groundout to end the threat — a critical sequence that kept Miami from generating any real momentum.
John King replaced Junk to begin the sixth inning for Miami, and while he put runners on base with a hit batter and a walk, Detroit's lineup couldn't push any additional runs across as King escaped the jam. Michael Petersen then handled the seventh for the Marlins, setting down the Tigers in order before Anthony Bender took over in the eighth.
Bender's inning proved costly. Riley Greene drew a walk, stole second, and when Bender uncorked a wild pitch, Greene alertly moved to third. Spencer Torkelson then lined a single to center, plating Greene and pushing the Detroit lead to 6-1.
Anderson, meanwhile, was masterful in relief. After escaping the sixth inning jam, he retired the Marlins in order in the seventh and eighth, and closed out the ninth to earn the save. The right-hander was sharp and efficient, giving the Tigers exactly what they needed out of the bullpen to preserve Mize's victory.
Mize, who earned the win, was solid through the first six innings, holding a dangerous enough Marlins lineup to one run while giving his offense every opportunity to build a comfortable cushion. I.
For Miami, the loss closes out a series to forget. The Marlins managed some baserunners throughout but were unable to string anything together against Detroit's pitching after the lone fourth-inning run, finishing the day with little to show for their opportunities.
Detroit, meanwhile, heads into Sunday with a series victory in hand and a compelling pitching matchup. The Tigers will send ace Tarik Skubal to the mound, while Miami counters with Sandy Alcantara — a meeting of two former Cy Young Award winners.
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