Kerry Carpenter doubled, homered, and drove in three runs as the Detroit Tigers defeated the Los Angeles Angels 9-5 on Sunday afternoon at Comerica Park.
Carpenter got things started with a double and run scored in the first inning, added a sacrifice fly in the second, and broke the game open in the fourth with a three-run homer — his 21st of the season.
Detroit starter Casey Mize (11-4) earned the win, allowing two runs on three hits over five innings while striking out five. Angels starter Jack Kochanowicz (3-10) struggled, giving up seven runs (six earned) on 10 hits in just over three innings of work.
The Tigers struck quickly in the first, stringing together four straight two-out hits, including RBI singles from Riley Greene and Zach McKinstry for a 2-0 lead. Carpenter’s sacrifice fly in the second made it 3-0.
In the fourth, an error by Javier Báez set the stage for a big inning. Cole Keith singled, Gleyber Torres drove in a run, and Carpenter followed with his three-run blast to put Detroit ahead 7-0.
The Angels tried to fight back. Nolan Schanuel hit a two-run homer in the fifth, and Logan O’Hoppe added an RBI single in the sixth. But Greene’s two-run homer in the bottom half restored Detroit’s cushion, and Luis Rengifo’s two-run shot in the eighth for the Angels wasn’t enough.
Key Moment:
In the eighth, Angels center fielder Bryce Teodosio — back in action after missing Saturday’s game from a head injury sustained Friday — collided with both Taylor Ward and Jo Adell on separate fly balls but escaped without injury.
Key Stat:
Since the start of 2024, Carpenter has slugged .600 against right-handed pitching, ranking third in MLB behind Shohei Ohtani (.688) and Aaron Judge (.682) among players with at least 500 plate appearances versus righties.
Up Next:
The Angels return home for a three-game Freeway Series against the Dodgers, with José Soriano slated to start Monday’s opener. The Tigers head to Chicago for a three-game set with the White Sox, sending Chris Paddack (4-10, 4.91 ERA) to the mound Monday evening.
