TL;DR The Cincinnati Reds defeated the Detroit Tigers 9-2, with Jack Flaherty struggling on the mound, allowing six runs in two innings. Despite early homers from the Tigers, they couldn't rally against the Reds' offense.
Apr 25, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Detroit Tigers pitcher Jack Flaherty (9) throws against the Cincinnati Reds in the first inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images
Apr 25, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Detroit Tigers pitcher Jack Flaherty (9) throws against the Cincinnati Reds in the first inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images
Jack Flaherty had zero command of anything in this one and was mauled for six runs in two innings of work. Even accounting for Flahertyâs usual rollercoaster nature, this is two in a row where he really couldnât put the fastball remotely where he wanted it with any consistency. Kevin McGonigle and Spencer Torkelson homered early on, but the Tigers offense couldnât put together a rally as they dropped their second in a row to the Reds in Cincinnati on Saturday.
This one started off auspiciously and in classic Great American Ballpark fashion, as Kevin McGonigle got a 1-0 sinker away from Brady Singer , and hammered it into the seats for his second major league home run. Perhaps he felt the pressure to maintain his lead in Baseball Referenceâs WAR metric. Good to see his right hand was alright after getting hit last night.
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Matt Vierling grounded out, but Colt Keith slapped a single up the middle and followed with an oppo roller to the left side that went for a hit as well. grounded one in the hole and the Reds could only get the out at second. So it was first and third with two outs to . Singer fell behind in the count but eventually Carpenter flew out to end the inning, stranding two.
Jack Flaherty started his day by striking out , but he quickly fell behind and walked him and did the same with . Bad Jack continues, and in this park a lack of control is a disaster. I wrote that last sentence before hammered a 1-1 slider down over the middle for a three-run shot and a 3-0 lead. launched a solo shot to make it 4-1. Flaherty still had just one out, and he was going to have to wear this. would have to wear something as well, as he then got plunked, bringing Chris Fetter to the mound as this was trending toward a bullpen game as Flaherty was already over 30 pitches. took a called strike three, and whiffed on a knuckle curve to end the inning. 4-1 Reds.
The Tigers went in order, and KeâBryan Hayes started the bottom of the second by hammering a first pitch fastball to the wall in center field for a double. Friedl dropped a good bunt toward third base, but Colt Keith made a nice play to get him at first. Still, it did the job of advancing Hayes to third. Flaherty got away with a 3-2 meatball of a slider that McLain whiffed on. Flahertyâs velocity continued to swing wildly as his mechanics from 89.5-95.2 mph. De La Cruz got into a 2-2 count and smoked a curveball for a deep drive to center field. 6-1 Reds.
Even before De La Cruzâs homer, this was already looking like the kind of game where you just want Flaherty to take an absolute beating if thatâs what it takes to get four innings out of him and not hurt the bullpen too much. Coming back to win wasnât really in the cards unless Singer fell apart entirely. Stewart was called out on strikes, but it wasnât really close, and a challenge quickly overturned that. After an 11 pitch AB, he snoked a hot grounder that McGonigle could only dive for and keep in the infield for a single. After back-to-back disasters, Dillon Dingler apparently remembered that you need to pitch Nate Lowe up and in, finally getting a ground out to end the inning as RHP warmed in the Tigersâ bullpen. I wonât bore you with Flahertyâs line. It suffices to say it sucked, and you had to think his night was already over.
McGonigle led off the third by lining a cutter to center field for a single. Matt Vierling lined out to right, and Keith made an oppo bid with a drive to left that just fell short for the second out of the inning. Riley Greene continues to swing it great, ripping a hot one-hopper through the right side for a single that got McGonigle to third. Singer did the right thing with Dingler, staying down away from him with breaking balls. A ground out to second ended the threat.
Burch Smithâs outing didnât begin well as he walked Steer. The veteran right-handerâs power curve got Stephenson to lift a routine fly out, and he froze Benson with a fastball for strike three. Hayes whiffed on a good curveball down, and we were on to the fourth.
Kerry Carpenter was ahead in the count to open the inning, but he whiffed on a sinker on the outer edge. Spencer Torkelson however, got a first pitch heater and killed it to right center field for his fourth home run of the year and fourth in as many days. The Tigers record is five straight from Marcus Thames in 2008. 6-2 Reds. Nice to see an oppo shot. Torkâs approach has been very good this year and heâs finally reaping the rewards.
Wenceel PĂ©rez has been putting the ball in play a ton with horrific luck, but he got a sweeper and pulled it to right for a one-out single. Javy BĂĄez chased a sweeper and struck out. With two outs, we were looking for PĂ©rez to run on a pitcher that doesnât hold runners well, but the Tigers continue to be really conservative with the base stealing. McGonigle flew out to center field to end the half inning.
Friedl landed a little bloop double to start the bottom half, but Smith went through the heart of the Redsâ order without issue, striking out McLain along the way.
The Tigers failed to take advantage of Singer, going 1-2-3 in the fifth. After a good two innings from Smith, took over. He got two quick outs before walking Tyler Stephenson. Former Tigersâ farmhand pinch-hit for Benson against the left-hander, taking over in center field. A 2-1 cutter from Holton got a grounder to BĂĄez at second to end the inning.
Dingler lined out to left to open the sixth inning with Singerâs outing coming to an end. Carpenter singled to center, and that was it for Singer with ready to enter the game. Phillips dumped three straight sweepers in and struck out Torkelson, while PĂ©rez flew out to center field.
Hayes and Friedl started the bottom of the sixth with consecutive singles off of Holton, and that ended his outing. got McLain to fly out, but he walked Elly De La Cruz. That brought Sal Stewart to the dish with the bases loaded and one out. Not good. Seabold fell behind 2-1 but got a whiff on a 95 mph heater to even the count. He tried it again, but Stewart inside outed a hot grounder into the hole. BĂĄez dove and got some glove on it but it bounced into right field as two runs scored for an 8-2 lead. Hopefully you moved on with your Saturday night if you hadnât already.
Seabold threw three straight balls to Nate Lowe, and then collapsed to the ground. Replay showed that he slipped on his lead leg when he landed. He tried a practice pitch, but had to leave the game. had to speed through a warm up and come into a 3-0 count with runners on 2nd and 3rd. Anderson walked Lowe to load the bases, but induced a 4-6-3 double play from Steer to clean up the mess. Nicely done.
Assuming Seabold hits the IL, my guess is that gets the call after a great start in Toledo. Heâs already on the 40-man roster. and LHP are the other relief options.
RHP took over from Phillips to open the seventh inning. BĂĄez chased a slider away from strike three. McGonigle got a 1-0 98 mph cutter and smoked it to right field for a double. Matt Vierling drew a walk, but Keith tapped one to Ashcraft and the Reds pitcher fired to second and on to first for an inning ending double play. Keith was ruled safe, but the Reds successfully challenged it.
Anderson carved up Stephenson to start the bottom half, spotting a perfect kick change on the bottom rail for strike three, then froze Myers with a good fastball for the first two outs. Myers wasted a challenge but it was clearly a strike. Anderson dialed up 98.2 mph against Hayes, and then fired a curveball down for a whiff to strike out the side.
At this point, the only thing the Tigers could do for themselves is close the gap and force Terry Francona to use his better relievers. They did not manage it in the eighth. Lefty came on for Ashcraft and walked Riley Greene, but Dingler grounded into a double play. pinch hit for Carpenter, but struck out on a sinker running back under his hands.
Anderson left a 2-2 curveball over the middle to TJ Friedl to open the bottom of the eighth and he launched it for a solo shot. 9-2 Reds. He bounced back to strike out McLain, and then Javy BĂĄez made a brilliant diving catch on a 115 mph line drive from De La Cruz. Anderson walked Sal Stewart, but whiffed Lowe on a good changeup to send this to the ninth. One run in 2.2 innings of work with five strikeouts for Anderson. Good to see him coming around in terms of his command.
took over to finish this one out. Torkelson grounded out, but PĂ©rez lined a single to right. Hao-Yu Lee pinch-hit for BĂĄez, which was a little ominous after that incredible play on De La Cruzâs laser beam in the eighth. Lee flew out to left, while Pagan fell behind McGonigle and fired a wild pitch that got PĂ©rez to second. McGonigle needed a triple for the cycle, but spanked a line drive to Myers in center field to end it.
The Tigers fall a game behind first place , who lost to on Saturday. They are 7-5 over this 13 day stretch without a day off. If they can make it 8-5 on Sunday behind , weâll take it. The Tigers will face a pretty good young right-hander in at 1:40 p.m. ET.