Pérez's pinch-hit HR flips script; Tigers ready to 'get greedy'

CINCINNATI -- If it’s possible for one swing of the bat to spark a streak, Wenceel Pérez’s pinch-hit, game-tying two-run homer in the eighth inning on Saturday might be such a swing.

Pérez’s first career pinch-hit homer erased a two-run deficit and sparked a five-run eighth to help the Tigers rally to beat the Reds, 5-3, at Great American Ball Park.

The Tigers hadn’t won consecutive games since June 3 and they hadn’t won a series in their last nine tries. Now, with ace lefty Tarik Skubal starting Sunday’s series finale, Detroit is eyeing a sweep.

“We’ll see where it takes us,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “We talk about winning series and this is the first series in a while that we can feel good about. We’ll quickly turn the page on this. Very proud of these dudes.”

Through seven innings on Saturday, the Tigers didn’t have a runner advance past first base. Parker Meadows’ double changed that, and then Pérez’s homer off Fernando Cruz changed everything.

Hinch initially had Zach McKinstry on deck, but when Meadows doubled, Pérez was called upon.

“There were different situations based on what Parker did that we were looking at,” Hinch said. “We had a chance with a runner in scoring position with Wenceel, and he put a good swing on it.”

Pérez, who isn’t known for his power, said he was prepared to pinch-hit. It was only his fifth homer this season. Pérez is the fourth MLB rookie to hit a pinch-hit homer this season.

It was the first pinch-hit homer by a Tiger since Tyler Nevin on Sept. 27, 2023, vs. Kansas City and the first by a Detroit rookie since Eric Haase on July 6, 2021.

“That fired me up,” Pérez said. “Just tried to get ready for a pitch in the middle, and then I got it. When Parker hit the double, I was just ready for it. We never quit. We just started to get our pitches.”

Detroit wasn’t done following Pérez’s homer. Carson Kelly’s RBI double drove in the fifth run during the eighth, when the Tigers sent 10 batters to the plate.

“Give the Tigers credit,” Reds manager David Bell said. “They were laying off Fernando’s split. Fernando has other weapons, of course, but that was a good job by them.”

Through seven innings, Detroit managed only three singles off Reds starter Hunter Greene, who struck out seven and walked two.

“Well, Greene was out, thank God,” Hinch said. “I don’t know what his best is, but he was really good. Threw a lot of secondary pitches too. We had a really hard time with him.”

It was a planned bullpen game for Detroit, with Alex Faedo opening and Beau Brieske allowing two runs in 1 1/3 innings that followed. The Tigers used six pitchers.

Andrew Chafin recorded his first save since May 29, 2023. At 34 years, 19 days, he’s the oldest Tigers left-hander to record a save since Frank Tanana on Aug. 2, 1990, at Yankee Stadium.

Brieske retired six straight batters with four strikeouts. But he issued back-to-back walks to begin the fifth. Tyler Stephenson doubled to drive in two runs, putting the Reds ahead, 2-0.

Meadows, who homered in his first at-bat on Friday after being recalled from Triple-A, went 2-for-4 with a double.

The Tigers now turn the page to Sunday, or as Hinch calls it, “Skubal Day”. Skubal is 9-3 with a 2.45 ERA in 17 starts.

“We’ll get greedy tomorrow,” Hinch said.