The Phillies snagged a 4-2 win against the Tigers, evening up the series at one game apiece. Man, it was a battle, and ace lefty Cristopher Sanchez was a PROBLEM for Detroit. While the Tigers' bats actually looked pretty good out there, they fumbled a few golden opportunities, and that's just a killer against a top-tier pitcher like Sanchez.
Mize Battles Early But The Leadoff Walk Haunts
Casey Mize didn't have his sharpest stuff, but he fought like heck. Things started rough when he walked leadoff man Trea Turner, gave up a double down the right field line to Bryce Harper, and then had to dig deep to get out of the first. He bounced back, getting Brandon Marsh and Alec Bohm out, which felt like a win in itself. You gotta love that grit when a pitcher wriggles out of an early jam, even if it feels a little shaky. It seemed like Mize worked well with Eduardo Valencia, who was making his debut behind the plate. Valencia's arm strength might still be a question mark, but he looked solid catching. Mize even whiffed Bryson Stott on a slurve and Gabriel Rincones Jr. on a splitter in the second. But as the game went on, Mize's wildness resurfaced, walking Marsh to open the fourth. He still managed to strike out Bohm with a slider, but then Stott singled, and J.T. Realmuto cashed in both runners. Oof.Sanchez Shuts Down Key Chances While Hill Burns the Bases
The Tigers had some good news pre-game with Dillon Dingler cleared to DH. But even with that, the offense just couldn't capitalize. Matt Vierling kicked things off well in the first with a sharp single off Sanchez, but then got picked off by an outstanding move to first from the lefty. Kevin McGonigle flew out, and Dingler struck out. You just can't squander chances like that against one of the game's best. Then, Derek Hill, an old friend to some, completely changed the pace. He grounded one to McGonigle, who let the ball play him, leading to an error. Hill immediately put Valencia to the test, stealing second and then barely swiping third on a pretty accurate throw from Valencia. A Trea Turner sacrifice fly made it a 1-0 game. Later, Ben Malgeri singled in the third, and Zach McKinstry drilled a slicing drive that looked like it would get through, but Derek Hill, again, made a fantastic diving catch on the warning track. Vierling singled with two outs, but Sanchez punched out McGonigle with a lethal changeup to absolutely snuff out the rally. It was a clinic in missed opportunities for Detroit. This was a tough one to swallow for the Tigers. They showed flashes, got some good swings, but Sanchez was just too good when it mattered most, and the fumbled chances kept them from breaking through. A 4-2 loss to even the series means they'll need to figure out how to cash in those big moments next time around.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.