Bullpen stars as Phillies down Tigers 3-2 in 15 innings at Comerica Park

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Rhys Hoskins delivered the game-winning hit in 15th inning

The Philadelphia Phillies (53-48) edged out the host Detroit Tigers (30-66) by a 3-2 score in 15 often frustrating innings on Tuesday night at Comerica Park.

The victory, which came in a game that began nearly 40 minutes late due to rain and ended six innings late due to the failure of both offenses to produce with runners in scoring position, was the Phillies fourth in five games. It also moves them to five games over the .500 mark for the first time since July 2.

The Phillies had a couple of chances to put some distance between themselves and Detroit in regulation play, the first coming in the very first inning when Rhys Hoskins singled and Bryce Harper doubled with one out. Both would end up stranded.

In the home 1st inning, rookie Tigers second baseman Harold Castro reached on an error by Scott Kingery, who continues to be played out of position by the Phillies on a nightly basis, this time at shortstop. Nola than hit Miguel Cabrera with a pitch. Castro moved to third on a ground out, and then raced home to score the game’s first run when Nola bounced a wild pitch in the dirt that J.T. Realmuto couldn’t block.

In the top of the 2nd, the Phillies went on top via an unlikely source. Roman Quinn powered up, blasting his first home run of the season out deep to left field, a two-run shot to put the Phillies up by a 2-1 score.

Tigers host Phillies in Tuesday night opener as trade rumors swirl

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Phillies and Tigers face off in Tuesday night opener at Comerica Park

The Philadelphia Phillies (52-48) and Detroit Tigers (30-65) open a quick two-game Interleague series at Comerica Park with a Tuesday night match-up in Motown. The two clubs met previously at the end of April, splitting a two game set at Citizens Bank Park.

The Phillies have won three of their last four games as they fight to stay in the National League Wildcard race. The club is currently tied with the Milwaukee Brewers, a half-game behind the Saint Louis Cardinals in the battle for the second of two NL Wildcard playoff berths.

Losers in 16 of their last 20 games, the Tigers are suffering through a season in which they are challenging only for the top pick in next year’s MLB Draft. It is a season and a period in Tigers history that is absolutely reminiscent of a place where the Phillies found themselves about four years ago.

As a sidebar to the actual baseball taking place on the field, the MLB trade deadline is looming, just eight days away. Tonight’s starting pitcher for the Tigers is one of the most talked about arms as that deadline approaches. Phillies general manager Matt Klentak will be in the ballpark, believed to be scouting a number of Detroit players for possible deals.

TUESDAY STARTING LINEUPS

PHILLIES

1. Scott Kingery SS
2. Rhys Hoskins 1B
3. Bryce Harper RF
4. J.T. Realmuto C
5. Cesar Hernandez 2B
6. Maikel Franco 3B
7. Adam Haseley RF
8. Roman Quinn CF
9. Nick Williams LF

Tigers need to be used as a doormat by the Phillies in quick two-game series

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Phillies hope there won't be too much partying this week in Motown

The Philadelphia Phillies (52-48) have won five of their seven Interleague contests thus far in the 2019 MLB regular season.

The club will try to add to that winning record over the next two nights at Comerica Park as they take on the host Detroit Tigers (30-65) in Motown for a quick two-game set.

Back on April 30 and May 1, the Phillies and Tigers split another two-gamer. That one was held at Citizens Bank Park in what may have been a perfect microcosm of this 2019 Phillies season to date.

Four Detroit hurlers held the Phillies to just four hits as the Tigers won that opener by a 3-1 score. The very next night, the Phillies offense exploded for 15 hits in a 7-3 victory. It has been that kind of roller coaster year for a team that is now involved with a half-dozen other clubs in a chase for an NL Wildcard playoff berth.

The Tigers are not chasing anything, other than the top pick in the 2020 MLB Draft. Their record is the second-worst in all of Major League Baseball, just a few percentage points better than the Baltimore Orioles 31-68 mark.

The Tigers offensive attack and pitching staff both rank as next-to-last in baseball in key categories. Their hitters have produced just 3.65 runs per game. The pitchers have a combined .273 batting average against.

Frankly, this is a series that the Phillies need to sweep. The Tigers are down and out, already playing out the string with more than two months left on the schedule. However, as our look below at the starting pitchers who they will be throwing at the Phillies in this series shows, it won’t necessarily be an easy task.