Riley Greene hits key double in Detroit Tigers’ 6-5 win over New York Yankees

Evan Petzold | Detroit Free Press

LAKELAND, Fla. — The Detroit Tigers secured a 6-5 victory against the New York Yankees on Tuesday at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland, Fla.

The Tigers improved to 6-2 in Grapefruit League play.

What happened

Willi Castro put the Tigers ahead, 3-2, with a three-run home run — his third homer of the spring — in the bottom of the fourth. The Yankees clawed back with a solo home run from Gary Sanchez — his third of the spring — against left-hander Daniel Norris. Another run came in on Aaron Hicks’ ground out. New York went ahead, 5-3, thanks to consecutive wild pitches from Gerson Moreno.

Riley Greene cranked a clutch RBI double to left-center field, pulling the Tigers within one run in the eighth inning. He scored on Derek Hill’s single. After a stolen base, Hill came around to score the winning run on a wild pitch from Luis Garcia.

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Starting off

Right-hander Spencer Turnbull pitched three innings and allowed two runs, one hit and one walk with two strikeouts. The first two runs of the game were allowed off his 87.9 mph changeup; Jay Bruce sent the ball beyond the wall in left-center field. Before Bruce’s blast, Turnbull walked Gleyber Torres. He threw 51 pitches (33 strikes) in his second spring training game. His fastball was between 93-96 mph, and he had more command of his off-speed pitches this time out.

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At the plate

Castro went 1-for-2 with three RBIs, and Jeimer Candelario went 2-for-2. Akil Baddoo, a Rule 5 draft pick, continued to impress with his second double of spring training. While Baddoo’s double off DJ LeMahieu’s glove probably should have been a single, he was aggressive on the bases. Robbie Grossman hit leadoff and worked a walk in the fourth inning, right before Castro’s home run, but was hitless in his two at-bats. Miguel Cabrera singled to right field.

On the mound

After Turnbull, the Tigers used Joe Jimenez, Norris, Drew Carlton, Gregory Soto, Moreno and Ian Krol. The Tigers tested the new re-entry rule (only for spring training games) by using Norris for one out in the fifth inning and then the entire sixth inning. He was benched in the fifth after giving up two walks, one single and a homer, and Carlton quickly recorded the final two out of the inning. But once the sixth came around, Norris strolled back out to the mound to refine his stuff and work toward a clean inning. Only three pitchers allowed runs — Turnbull (two runs), Norris (two) and Moreno (one) — but Soto was sloppy with two walks and one strikeout. Krol recorded the final four outs, three of which came from strikeouts, to get the win.

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Prospects

Greene, Spencer Torkelson and Isaac Paredes entered the game as defensive replacements in the top of the sixth inning. Catcher Jake Rogers replaced Wilson Ramos in the sixth. He threw out Greg Allen trying to steal second base — with two outs and runners on first and third — to end the top of the seventh. Torkelson went 0-for-2 with one strikeout; Paredes was 0-for-1; Rogers finished 0-for-1.