Detroit Tigers explode for 6 runs in 5th inning in 12-2 win over Arizona Diamondbacks

The Detroit Tigers and Arizona Diamondbacks were tied at the beginning of the fifth inning.

And then the Tigers broke out for six runs.

The Tigers powered their way to an 12-2 win over the Diamondbacks on Tuesday, July 29, in the second of three games in the series at Comerica Park. Three players – Gleyber Torres, Riley Greene and Zach McKinstry – hit home runs in the fifth inning, all off right-hander Brandon Pfaadt.

The Tigers (63-46) have won three games in a row after losing 12 of 13 games, moving into a tie for the best record in the American League, thanks to the Toronto Blue Jays' loss of a doubleheader Tuesday. More importantly, the Tigers have scored 27 runs in their three-game winning streak — after scoring just 33 runs in their previous 13 games.

Before the fifth, the Tigers were sparked by a two-run single from Dillon Dingler in the fourth inning. He delivered the clutch hit with two strikes, two outs and two runners in scoring position.

Dingler has eight hits in 14 plate appearances throughout his past four games, increasing his season-long batting average from .268 to .283 in the four-game stretch.

From there, the floodgates opened for the Tigers' offense.

The six runs in the fifth inning: Torres hit a solo home run for a 3-2 lead, Greene hit a two-run home run for a 5-2 lead, and McKinstry hit a two-run home run for a 7-2 lead.

Those homers chased Pfaadt from his start, with the Diamondbacks calling left-handed reliever Brandyn Garcia out of the bullpen. After that, pinch-hitter Andy Ibáñez capped the fifth inning with an RBI single for an 8-2 advantage.

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The Tigers didn't stop there.

Three more runs scored in the sixth inning made it an 11-2 lead, thanks to Greene's RBI double, Wenceel Pérez's RBI triple and McKinstry's RBI groundout. In the eighth, McKinstry capped the run-scoring with an RBI single for a 12-2 margin.

The Tigers received three-hit performances from Carpenter and Greene and a four-hit performance from Pérez. Carpenter had one single and two doubles; Greene had two doubles and one home run; Pérez had two singles, one double and one triple, finishing a homer shy of the cycle.

It was Greene's first three-hit game since June 28.

Before McKinstry's homer, he was 2-for-33 (.061) in his previous 38 plate appearances. He had two hits in Tuesday's game, and he drove in four of the 12 runs.

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Casey Mize saved by Brant Hurter

Right-hander Casey Mize struggled in his 18th start.

The 28-year-old was pulled by manager A.J. Hinch after throwing 59 pitches in 1⅔ innings, allowing two runs (one earned run) on three hits and three walks with two strikeouts. He threw 32 pitches in the first inning and 27 pitches in the second inning.

His ERA has climbed from 2.63 to 3.43 in his last three starts, allowing six runs in three innings to the Seattle Mariners, four runs in four innings to the Pittsburgh Pirates and one run in 1⅔ innings to the Diamondbacks.

Left-hander Brant Hurter saved the Tigers.

Out of the bullpen, Hurter delivered 3⅓ scoreless innings to keep the Diamondbacks off the scoreboard in the third, fourth and fifth innings. He gave up just one hit in his 37-pitch outing.

Hurter has a 2.68 ERA in 33 games.

Matt Vierling's catch

In the fourth inning, Matt Vierling made an unbelievable juggling catch in center field. He snagged a fly ball, crashed into the wall, bobbled the ball — and then caught it again.

The second catch came just before the ball landed on the warning track, avoiding a likely double.

Contact Evan Petzold at [email protected] or follow him @EvanPetzold.

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers tee off on Arizona Diamondbacks in 12-2 win