J.T. Realmuto had a two-run double, All-Star Cristopher Sanchez tossed seven-plus strong innings, and the visiting Philadelphia Phillies ended the Detroit Tigers’ six-game winning streak with a 4-2 victory on Saturday.
Sanchez (11-4) allowed two runs and 10 hits while striking out seven. Sanchez bounced back from his worst outing of the season when he surrendered nine runs to Kansas City on Monday. Jhoan Duran recorded his 24th save with a perfect ninth.
Eduardo Valencia homered for Detroit. Casey Mize (4-6) gave up all four runs (three earned) on five hits in 5 2/3 innings.
An error allowed the Phillies to take the lead in the third. Third baseman Kevin McGonigle made a throwing error on a Derek Hill grounder. Hill then stole second and third base before Trea Turner knocked him in with a sacrifice fly.
Detroit had two baserunners with two outs in the bottom of the inning. Ben Malgeri reached on an infield single before Hill, playing center field, robbed Zach McKinstry of an extra base hit with a diving grab. Matt Vierling followed with a single but Sanchez escaped the jam by striking out McGonigle. Philadelphia then extended its lead in the fourth.
Brandon Marsh drew a leadoff walk, and Bryson Stott had a one-out single. Realmuto then took advantage of a hanging slider and drove in both runners with a double to left. Realmuto scored one out later on a Hill single.
Valencia put the Tigers on the board in the fifth with his second homer in three games since being called up from Triple-A Toledo to make his major league debut on Thursday. Singles by Hao-Yu Lee and Vierling put runners on the corners with two outs. McGonigle then flied out to left-center.
Detroit had another threat in the seventh after back-to-back leadoff singles by Valencia and Lee. Sanchez then struck out Malgeri before inducing McKinstry to bounce into a double play.
Sanchez departed after Vierling drew a walk and McGonigle singled in the eighth. Dillon Dingler was hit by a Jonathan Bowlan pitch to load the bases. Spencer Torkelson bounced into a double play as Vierling scored, making the score 4-2. After Riley Greene walked, Valencia grounded out to end the inning.
The Tigers finished 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position, stranding seven.
