DETROIT (AP) — Riley Greene drove in four runs for the second time in a week, leading the Detroit Tigers to a 9-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first game of Thursday’s doubleheader.
Tigers starter Tarik Skubal (8-2) improved to 8-0 over his last 13 starts, allowing two runs on six hits and three walks in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out six.
Greene, who also had four RBIs in Friday’s 11-5 win over the Cincinnati Reds, is hitting .333 with 15 RBIs in 16 games in June. He also hit one of Detroit’s four sacrifice flies — a total they had only reached once in at least 70 years. They also had four in an 11-inning, 8-7 win against the Baltimore Orioles on June 10, 1985.
Andrew Heaney (3-6) took the loss, giving up seven runs on eight hits and three walks in four innings.
Zach McKinstry had a solo homer in the fifth inning for the Tigers.
Andrew McCutchen had an RBI single in the fifth, and Tommy Pham got a sacrifice fly for the Pirates in the sixth.
Key moment
Pittsburgh had a chance to get to Skubal early, loading the bases with one out in the first on a single and two walks. However, Skubal struck out Ke’Bryan Hayes and retired Isiah Kiner-Falefa on a fly ball to end the inning.
Key stat
The Houston Astros were the last MLB team to have four sacrifice flies in a game, doing it in a 14-3 win over the Minnesota Twins on June 13, 2021.
Up next
The teams finish the doubleheader at 6:10 p.m., with Pirates ace RHP Paul Skenes (4-6, 1.78) facing a Tigers opener. RHP Keider Montero (3-1, 4.24) is expected to do the bulk of the pitching.
Subscribe to our News 10 newsletter and YouTube page to receive the latest local news and weather. Looking to hire people, or grow your business through advertising? Gray Digital Media is your one-stop marketing solution. Learn more.
Copyright 2025 WILX. All rights reserved.