Not even a rain delay could cool off the Tigers’ hot bats, with Colt Keith leading the way in a tight 5-4 victory over the Reds on Friday night in Cincinnati.
In the first of a three-game interleague series on the road, Keith had the first multi-homer game of his career going 2-for-5 with two home runs and three RBIs in the victory. Keith was one of three Tigers with homers, and all but two Tigers batters contributed to the 11 total hits the offense put up.
“It felt really good to play, I felt like I was able to take aggressive swings,” said Keith in postgame comments on Apple TV+. “I just stuck to my approach, take the fastball left-center and pull (Carson Spiers) off-speed stuff and he ended up leaving some stuff in the zone, I was able to take care of him.”
The Reds made things interesting in the bottom of the ninth with two runs and having two runners on-base, but the Tigers’ defense held on for the one-run win.
Reese Olson has struggled throughout the 2024 season, but came up with just his third win of the season thanks to allowing just one earned run with eight strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.
Keith wasn’t the only Tiger batter with a good night. Riley Greene was yet again one step away from a cycle, finishing 3-for-4 with everything but the triple.
Parker Meadows, who made his first appearance for the Tigers since May 6 after being optioned to Triple-A, made sure his home run couldn’t be robbed as his 410-foot shot to right field was his first since April 22 and his third of the season. Not to be outdone, Keith went deep 413 feet to right as the Tigers took a 2-0 lead to the bottom of the third.
Olson had little trouble dealing with the Reds’ lineup as he allowed no hits with three strikeouts through his first three innings, but rain caused a short 20-minute delay. Olson went back on the mound for the bottom of the fourth and allowed his first baserunner after walking the dangerous Elly De La Cruz, but the Tigers pulled off the inning-ending double play.
After Vierling outran a throw from Cruz to reach first, Keith came up and hit another home run, this one going 415 feet to right field making it a 4-0 lead. They loaded the bases with two outs, knocking Reds’ starter Carson Spiers out the game as he allowed eight hits, two walks, and four earned runs in his 4 2/3 innings.
Ex-Tiger Buck Farmer came in and struck out Urshela. The Reds finally got a hit off Olson, and Spencer Steer made it count with a 425-foot homer to left field. Olson wasn’t rattled as he struck out the next three batters.
Things got dicey in the bottom of the sixth for Olson after striking out the first two batters, as Jonathan India singled then Cruz was walked. Olson stayed in the game after a mound visit but former Tiger Jeimer Candelario singled to Ryan Kriedler, who bobbled the catch then threw errantly to first base, allowing India to score from second.
Will Vest came in relief for Olson after the run scored, then Steer hit a liner right to Wenceel Perez for the final out of the sixth inning.
Greene got that run back, opening the top of the seventh inning with another Tiger home run to right field, the final run scored for the Tigers.
The Reds wouldn’t threaten until the bottom of the ninth, as Jason Foley dealt with Cruz to start the frame. Cruz got a hit and just beat the throw to first, then went to steal second on a play that would be confirmed after instant replay for his league-leading 42nd stolen base of the season.
Candelario came up to bat and hit a ball that just went foul off the right-field line before Foley struck him out with a fastball. Then Steer came up for a single as Cruz went from second to home to make it a 5-3 game.
Then Nick Martini hit a fair ball down the right-field line, allowing Steer to go home and putting Martini on third as the Reds were now down just a run. Tyler Stevenson hit a ground ball to third with Vierling throwing pinch-runner Blake Dunn out at home, a call that was confirmed after another replay review.
After another single, Santiago Espinal grounded out to Urshela for the final out, showing that Detroit needed all of those five runs and 11 hits to seal the victory.
“I think we’re coming into our own here, and we’ve just gotta keep it rolling,” Keith said.
The Tigers will play the Reds for the second game of the series on Saturday afternoon.
Kameron Goodwill is a freelance writer.