ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Riley Greene made history on Friday night, becoming the first player in Major League Baseball history to hit two home runs in the ninth inning of a game as the Detroit Tigers triumphed over the Los Angeles Angels 9-1 at Angel Stadium. Greene's explosive performance capped an eight-run rally that stunned the Angels, who have now lost seven consecutive games and 15 of their last 19.
The Tigers (21-12) entered the seventh inning trailing 1-0 but rallied back to tie the game thanks to a solo home run from Trey Sweeney. Greene's historic inning began with a leadoff home run off Angels closer Kenley Jansen, who had not allowed a run all season but had not pitched in eight days. Greene's 371-foot shot off the top of the right-field wall gave the Tigers a 2-1 lead.
Colt Keith followed Greene's lead with a homer to left-center, extending the Tigers' advantage to 2-1. After Jace Jung singled, Javier Báez added a two-out, two-run homer to left, pushing the score to 5-1. Greene's moment came next, as he stepped up to the plate again with Spencer Torkelson on base and delivered a crushing 409-foot three-run blast to right-center off left-hander Jake Eder, sealing the Tigers' dominant victory.
Greene's two-homer inning marked the first time a Tigers player has accomplished this feat since Magglio Ordonez did so against the Oakland Athletics on August 12, 2007. He is also the third player in Tigers history to hit two home runs in a single inning, following Hall of Famer Al Kaline, who did it on April 17, 1955.
"Yeah, I just found that out -- pretty cool," Greene said after the game. "But the game is over. We got to show up tomorrow and try to win another baseball game." His humility was evident, despite the historic nature of his achievement.
Tigers manager A.J. Hinch praised Greene's performance, stating, "He's made an All-Star team, he's been a featured player on our team, he hits in the middle of the order, he gets all the toughest matchups, and he asks for more. You want guys to be rewarded when they work as hard as they do, and tonight was a huge night for him." Greene is currently batting .276 with an .828 OPS, seven home runs, and 20 RBIs this season.
On the mound, Tigers ace Tarik Skubal delivered a strong performance, allowing just one run and four hits while striking out eight over six innings. Skubal's dominance continued his impressive streak, having struck out 38 batters and walked only one in his last five starts. He noted the grit of his team, saying, "There's no quit in our team. We grind out at-bats, we don't give away at-bats, and I think our record shows that. They grind out starters, relievers ... I know I wouldn't want to face a lineup like that. Every at-bat, they're in it."
The Angels had taken an early lead when shortstop Zach Neto launched a leadoff home run on Skubal's first pitch of the game. However, after Sweeney's equalizer in the seventh, the Angels bullpen faltered for the second consecutive night, allowing eight runs in the final two innings.
Angels starter José Soriano pitched impressively, throwing six shutout innings and handing a 1-0 lead to his bullpen. However, the relievers, including Jansen, could not maintain that advantage. Jansen, who entered the game with a perfect record, gave up six runs and six hits in the ninth inning.
Amidst the offensive fireworks, Zach McKinstry extended his career-best hit streak to 12 games with a double in the ninth inning. The Tigers' offensive onslaught came after a strong start from Soriano, who struck out five and walked one during his six innings of work.
Tempers flared briefly in the third inning when Neto and Skubal exchanged words after Skubal struck out Neto with a 99-mph fastball. While both benches emptied, the situation quickly diffused without any further incident.
The Tigers and Angels will face off again on Saturday, May 3, 2025, at 9:38 p.m. Eastern time. Tigers right-hander Jack Flaherty (1-3, 3.34 ERA) will take the mound against Angels righty Kyle Hendricks (0-3, 6.65 ERA). Flaherty is looking to improve after giving up four runs in five innings during his last start against Houston.
As the Tigers continue their strong start to the season, Greene's historic night serves as a reminder of the excitement and unpredictability of baseball. With their potent lineup and resilient pitching staff, the Tigers are poised to make a significant impact as the season progresses.
