The Detroit Tigers cruised to a 7-2 victory over the Boston Red Sox at JetBlue Park on Tuesday in spring training action. Corey Julks paced the offense, going 1-for-2 with a home run and three RBI, giving the coaching staff plenty to be encouraged about as the exhibition schedule continues. On the mound, Ty Madden turned in a solid outing, working 3.2 innings of 1-run ball with two strikeouts. The Tigers finished with 10 hits on the day while holding the Sox to 4. The victory gives the Tigers positive momentum heading into the final stretch of spring training. The coaching staff will look to build on the strong showing in the games ahead.
Key Performers
Corey Julks was the top performer at the plate, going 1-for-2 with a home run and three RBI. His ability to drive the ball out of the park was the highlight of the afternoon. Performances like this give the Tigers confidence that the lineup is rounding into form.
Riley Greene provided support, going 1-for-3 with a home run and two RBI, Jack Penney also contributed, going 1-for-1 with a double and an RBI, and Jake Rogers chipped in, going 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI. The depth of production throughout the lineup was encouraging to see.
On the other side of the diamond, Kristian Campbell led the Sox offense with a 1-for-3 day. Marcelo Mayer also contributed, going 1-for-3. Isiah Kiner-Falefa added a 1-for-3 effort as well. Despite those contributions, the Tigers pitching staff did enough to limit the damage and secure the victory.
On the Mound
Ty Madden earned the win after putting together a workmanlike effort, working 3.2 innings while allowing 1 earned run on 2 hits with two strikeouts. He threw 60 pitches in the outing. It was a useful learning experience as the Tigers evaluate their pitching depth heading into the regular season.
The bullpen combined for 4.4 innings of work, allowing 1 earned run while striking out four. Spring training gives the coaching staff a chance to evaluate bullpen depth, and today was an encouraging showing from the relievers. Each reliever is auditioning for a roster spot, and innings like these factor into those decisions.
Among the relievers, Ricky Vanasco stood out with 1.1 innings of scoreless work, striking out three. His performance was one of the day's bright spots from the bullpen.
How It Happened
The Tigers struck first, scoring two runs in the second inning. Sox countered with a run in the third. The Tigers struck back with a run in the fifth. The Tigers added a run in the seventh. Sox responded with a run in the seventh. The Tigers countered with a run in the eighth. The Tigers plated two runs in the ninth. The Tigers spread their scoring across five different innings, applying consistent pressure throughout the game. The Tigers out-hit Sox 10-4 on the day, with both teams playing clean defense. A crowd of 9,395 was on hand to take in the action.
Looking Ahead
As the exhibition schedule nears its conclusion, the Tigers can point to this game as a step in the right direction. The combination of solid pitching and timely hitting is exactly what the coaching staff hopes to see at this stage of the spring. The focus now shifts to maintaining this level of play with the regular season just around the corner.
