Cristopher Sánchez bounced back with one of his strongest performances of the season, pitching seven quality innings as the Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Detroit Tigers 4-2 on Saturday, snapping Detroit’s six-game winning streak.
The Dominican left-hander improved his record to 11-4 after allowing two runs on 10 hits while striking out seven batters. The outing marked an impressive response after what had been the toughest start of his career against the Kansas City Royals.
Phillies Build an Early Lead
Philadelphia opened the scoring in the third inning on a sacrifice fly by Trea Turner. The visitors added two more runs in the fourth when J.T. Realmuto delivered a two-run double that proved to be the decisive hit of the game.
Detroit cut into the deficit in the fifth inning with a solo home run by rookie Eduardo Valencia, but the Tigers were unable to generate enough offense to complete a comeback.
Defense and Bullpen Seal the Victory
The Phillies also received a key defensive contribution from Derek Hill, who made a diving catch to rob Zach McKinstry of a hit that could have tied the game.
Jonathan Bowlan worked a scoreless eighth inning without allowing a hit before Dominican closer Jhoan Durán retired the side in order in the ninth to record his 24th save of the season.
Casey Mize took the loss for Detroit after pitching five and two-thirds innings.
Phillies Continue Strong Run
The victory continued Philadelphia’s impressive turnaround. Since ending a 10-game losing streak on April 25, the Phillies have posted a 45-25 record, giving them one of the best winning percentages in Major League Baseball during that span.
Other MLB Results
The Houston Astros defeated the Texas Rangers 9-3 behind winning pitcher Peter Lambert. The Tampa Bay Rays beat the Seattle Mariners 6-1, with Griffin Jax earning the victory.
The Cleveland Guardians topped the Miami Marlins 4-1. Dominican right-hander Eury Pérez took the loss, falling to 5-7 with a 3.78 ERA.
The Boston Red Sox shut out the New York Mets 4-0, while the New York Yankees defeated the Washington Nationals 4-2 behind Brent Headrick, with David Bednar earning his 18th save.
Elsewhere, the Baltimore Orioles defeated the Kansas City Royals 6-1, the San Francisco Giants beat the Colorado Rockies 4-2, the Chicago White Sox edged the Athletics 1-0, and the Minnesota Twins topped the Los Angeles Angels 5-3.
The Chicago Cubs defeated the Cincinnati Reds 5-3, while the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Atlanta Braves 4-1. Dominican pitcher Reynaldo López took the loss for Atlanta, dropping to 4-2 with a 3.50 ERA.
The Pittsburgh Pirates completed a doubleheader sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers, winning 7-6 and 3-2. Dominican reliever Gregory Soto recorded his 12th save in the opener.