Spencer Torkelson blasted a solo homer with one out in the ninth to give the host Detroit Tigers a 5-4 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday afternoon.
Torkelson, who hit his first homer of the season on Wednesday, ripped a 3-1 sinker from Abner Uribe (1-1) over the left field wall as the Tigers took two of three games in the series.
Riley Greene had a two-run homer and pinch-hitter Jahmai Jones supplied a tying solo homer in the eighth.
Detroit starter Tarik Skubal was charged with four runs and seven hits in six-plus innings while striking out five. Brant Hurter (2-0) got a key double play in the ninth and wound up with the win.
Blake Perkins drove in two runs for the Brewers. Gary Sanchez had two hits, a run and an RBI while David Hamilton added two hits and an RBI.
Starter Brandon Sproat gave up three runs and four hits in 5 1/3 innings.
The Tigers took a 2-0 lead in the first. Kevin McGonigle led off with a double and advanced on a groundout. Greene then ripped a curveball 406 feet to the opposite field for his second homer of the season.
Milwaukee’s first 11 batters were retired by Skubal. The Brewers then scored a run as William Contreras and Sanchez hit consecutive doubles.
Skubal got out of a sixth-inning jam with a double play and the Tigers made it 3-1 in the bottom of the inning. Colt Keith drew a one-out walk and moved to third on Greene’s single. Dillon Dingler then bounced into a fielder’s choice as Keith scored.
Sanchez’s bloop single started Milwaukee’s rally in the seventh. Luis Matos’ single put two runners on for Perkins, who smacked a double down the left field line to bring in both runners. Skubal was then removed in favor of Tyler Holton. He retired the first batter he faced but the next two singled, with Hamilton driving in Perkins.
Jones tied it at with one out in the eighth when he clubbed an Angel Zerpa pitch over the left field wall.
