DETROIT – The Detroit Tigers came home to Comerica Park for the first time Friday and powered past the Chicago White Sox on Opening Day.
Last time these two teams met, the White Sox had to watch the Tigers celebrate clinching their first playoff berth in 10 years.
There won’t be any champaign spraying in the clubhouse this time, but the Tigers did technically move into first place in the AL Central, at 3-4 on the young season.
Scoring plays
Kerry Carpenter opened the scoring on the first pitch he saw in the bottom of the first, banging a ball off the foul pole in right field to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead.
But the White Sox answered right back in the second. Jack Flaherty issued a two-out walk to Matt Thaiss, and Brooks Baldwin brought him home with a double to left field.
The Tigers responded in the third, with a Spencer Torkelson hit by pitch, a Colt Keith walk, and a Zach McKinstry RBI single.
Dillon Dingler brought in another run with a groundout. He fouled off the first six pitches of the at-bat before putting the ball in play to bring home Keith.
Carpenter hit his second home run of the day in the fourth — this one 359 feet to the opposite field off a left-handed pitcher. He’s the first Tigers player to hit two bombs in the home opener since Prince Fielder in 2013.
Torkelson tacked on another run with a double that scored Riley Greene.
In the fifth, Trey Sweeney tripled into the right-center field alley to score McKinstry to make it 6-1.
Greene, who already had a single and a double in three trips, unloaded on a Bryse Wilson offering in the sixth and sent it 114.3 mph and 417 feet into the right field seats.
DETROIT, MICHIGAN – APRIL 04: Riley Greene #31 of the Detroit Tigers watches his sixth inning home run in front of Matt Thaiss #29 of the Chicago White Sox during the Tigers home opener at Comerica Park on April 04, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) (2025 Getty Images)
Final stats
Flaherty was rock solid once again Friday after holding the mighty Los Angeles Dodgers to two runs across 5.2 innings in his first start.
He went 5.2 innings once again, this time allowing just three hits, two walks, and one run while striking out seven batters. He had 11 whiffs on 95 pitches.
DETROIT, MICHIGAN – APRIL 04: Jack Flaherty #9 of the Detroit Tigers throws a second inning pitch while playing the Chicago White Sox during the Tigers home opener at Comerica Park on April 04, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) (2025 Getty Images)
Carpenter finished 2-for-5 with those two homers, and Greene led the team with his three hits.
McKinstry went 2-for-3 with two singles and a walk.
Tyler Holton retired all four batters he faced after Flaherty’s departure, including two strikeouts.
Kenta Maeda pitched one inning but couldn’t close it out with a 7-1 lead, allowing three-straight hits to start the ninth. He finished with four hits, a walk, and three runs allowed.
A.J. Hinch had to call on Will Vest to put out the fire. Vest gave up a walk and allowed both inherited runners to score, but he ultimately struck out Luis Robert to end the game.
