For six innings Tuesday night, it felt like the Detroit Tigers had everything under control.
Casey Mize was dealing, the offense had delivered a key burst, and Detroit looked poised to steady itself after a shaky start to the season.
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Then one inning flipped the entire script.
The Arizona Diamondbacks erupted late, handing the Tigers a 7-5 loss and extending Detroit’s skid to three straight games.
AJ Hinch Tigers loss Diamondbacks
Mize Sets the Tone Early
Mize delivered one of his sharpest outings in recent memory, striking out nine over six innings and keeping Arizona’s lineup off balance for most of the night.
There were early signs of frustration as he worked through traffic in the opening frames, but adjustments came quickly. By the middle innings, he had settled into a rhythm, generating swings and misses and dictating the pace.
Manager A.J. Hinch didn’t hesitate in his assessment.
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“He was exceptional,” Hinch said. “He finished strong, got swing-and-miss, and put us in position to win.”
Opportunity Slips Away
Detroit’s offense provided support with an early surge, giving the Tigers a cushion that seemed sufficient given how Mize was throwing.
But the inability to add on runs loomed large as the game moved into the later innings. What looked comfortable began to feel fragile.
Hinch pointed to that missed opportunity after the game.
“We put up a big number early and couldn’t quite do much else,” he said. “That inning ended up being the difference.”
The Eighth Inning Unravels
The turning point came quickly—and decisively.
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Reliever Will Vest ran into trouble, issuing two walks in an outing where command is typically his strength. Against a lineup featuring disciplined hitters, those free passes proved costly.
“Those walks are very rare for him,” Hinch said. “You’re dealing with elite players, and they made him pay.”
With two outs and Vest nearing 30 pitches, Hinch turned to veteran closer Kenley Jansen to navigate the moment.
A Debut That Changed the Game
Instead, the inning belonged to a newcomer.
Arizona rookie Jose Fernandez, making his major league debut, delivered the defining swing of the night—a three-run home run that swung momentum completely in the Diamondbacks’ favor.
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Hinch acknowledged the decision and the outcome.
“I thought giving a different look there made sense,” he said. “He’s a tough matchup. But the kid put a good swing on it in the biggest moment.”
It was the kind of moment that can turn a game—and for Detroit, it did.
A Familiar Frustration Emerges
For the Tigers, the loss followed a pattern that’s becoming all too common early in the season: strong stretches undone by a single inning.
Mize did his job. The offense showed flashes. But the inability to close out the game proved costly once again.
“It’s disappointing and frustrating,” Hinch said. “Given where we were positioned going into the eighth, we expect to finish that game.”
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Looking Ahead
The Tigers will take encouragement from Mize’s performance, which offered a glimpse of the form they’ll need throughout the season.
But the broader issue remains. Until Detroit finds consistency in late-game execution, performances like Mize’s risk being overshadowed.
On this night, one inning was all it took.