Trey Sweeney blasted a three-run homer to cap a six-run first inning as the host Detroit Tigers extended their winning streak to four games by defeating the Colorado Rockies 7-4 on Wednesday.
Kerry Carpenter supplied four hits, scored a run and drove in another for the Tigers (75-71). Riley Greene added two hits, including a solo homer, and knocked in two runs.
Tyler Holton (6-1) tossed two innings of scoreless relief to pick up the win. Jason Foley got the last three outs, including a pair of strikeouts, for his 22nd save.
Ezequiel Tovar drove in two runs and Ryan McMahon added a solo homer for the Rockies (54-92). Starter Tanner Gordon (0-6) gave up all seven runs on 10 hits in 3 1/3 innings. He struck out one and didn’t walk a batter.
Greene began Detroit’s first inning outburst with a one-out homer. He lofted a Gordon changeup just over the right-center-field wall for his 21st homer.
Matt Vierling followed with a single, and Carpenter brought him home with a triple along the right field line. Carpenter scored on Spencer Torkelson’s two-out single. Jace Jung smacked a single before Sweeney deposited his fourth homer over the right field wall.
McMahon put Colorado on the board with his 19th homer leading off the second.
Carpenter and Keith had back-to-back singles leading off the third, but Gordon kept the score at 6-1 by setting down the next three batters.
Jake Rogers, Detroit’s catcher, scored the next run with some aggressive baserunning. He led off the fourth with a double, moved to third on Parker Meadows’ flyout to right and scored on Greene’s medium-deep fly ball to center.
The Rockies rallied in the fifth against Detroit starter Casey Mize to cut the Tigers’ lead to 7-4. Jake Cave and Nolan Jones singled before Mize retired the next two batters. Tovar doubled to bring in both runners, and he scored on Brenton Doyle’s single, ending Mize’s outing.
Mize gave up four runs on six hits and no walks in 4 2/3 innings. He struck out seven.
Detroit can sweep the three-game series with a victory Thursday afternoon.