The Tigers set the tone in the bottom of the second inning thanks to a pair of home runs. The first came off the bat of Aderlin Rodriguez with a two run shot to left center to give Detroit a 2-0 lead. The next batter, Brady Policelli, sent one over the left field wall for the 3-0 cushion after two innings.
Back came the Reds with a pair of runs in the top of the third inning when TJ Friedl sent a shot over the right field wall. Cincinnati went in front in the top of the fourth when Narciso Cook sent a Beau Burrows pitch over the left field wall for a two run home run and a 4-3 advantage.
Detroit didn’t waste long tying the game as Isaac Parades hit a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Brady Policelli from third in the bottom of the fourth. Jake Rogers then followed with a double down the left field line scoring Derek Hill to push Detroit into the lead 5-4. The runs kept flowing the scoreboard as Eric Hasse drilled a double down the line sending home Jake Rogers and Kody Clemens for a 7-4 lead.
The Reds would collect the next three runs with one in the fifth and two more in the sixth to even the game at seven. In the bottom of the sixth, Eric Hasse crushed the Tigers third homer of the day. The two run blast hit the scoreboard in left to regain the lead at 9-7. Cincinnati scored two runs in the top of the seventh then a bases clearing double from Scott Heineman in the eighth inning put the Reds in front 12-9.
Kody Clemens smashed a big fly to center field for the fourth Detroit homer of the afternoon in the bottom of the eighth inning. That two run shot closed the Cincinnati lead to 12-11.
Drew Hutchinson got the start for the Tigers, throwing three innings with three strikeouts and allowing two runs on three hits.
The Tigers will host the Pittsburgh Pirates for four games next week at Fifth Third Field. You can purchase tickets here.