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Tigers 8, Marlins 2: Kevin McGonigle launches first home run as Tigers sweep
TL;DR
The Detroit Tigers defeated the Miami Marlins 8-2, completing a sweep at Comerica Park. Rookie Kevin McGonigle hit his first home run, contributing to the Tigers' improved record of 7-9.
Apr 12, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Tigers shortstop Kevin McGonigle (7) celebrates after he hits a home run in the fifth inning against the Miami Marlins at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
Coming off a sweep in Minnesota, the Detroit Tigers needed to right the ship with some home cooking. They successfully did so, riding three home runs, including rookie Kevin McGonigleâs first, and a strong start from Tarik Skubal, to sweep the Marlins out of Comerica Park. The Tigers record is now back to 7-9, but thereâs still some hole left to dig out of for the kitties.
We had a duel of aces lined up as 2022 NL Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara took on the two-time defending American League Cy Young winner. The game opened with Skubal facing outfielder Austin Slater, who was in camp with the Tigers this spring. Skubal quickly fell behind 3-0, but bounced back and eventually made a nice stab on a solid ground ball back up the middle, flipping to Torkelson at first. A fly out, and then a strikeout of Jacob Marsee quickly wrapped up the top of the first.
Kevin McGonigle flew out swinging first pitch to open the bottom half. Gleyber Torres struck out, though the Marlins did burn a challenge in the process. Ground ball singles from Colt Keith and Riley Greene followed, and then Dillon Dingler stepped in the box with two outs. Alcantara landed a sinker and a slider away from strikes to get ahead, but the Tigersâ catcher fouled off a changeup and then got a second one tailing in on his hands. He turned on it and smashed a three-run homer to left field. 3-0 Tigers. Kerry Carpenter grounded out, and we were on to the second.
Skubal got ahead 0-1 with the help of a successful Dingler challenge, and Otto Lopez grounded out sharply back to the Tigersâ pitcher for the first out of the second inning. Skubalâs fielding was tested early and on point. He then blew away Otto Lopez with a 98 mph heater inside, and carved up Connor Norby with a changeup to end the top of the second.
Alcantara settled into his game, getting Torkelson to ground out, and Zach McKinstry to fly out the opposite way. Javy BĂĄez, playing center field in this one, battled Alcantara to a full count as the right-hander dialed up 98-99 mph, but eventually chased a breaking ball to strike out. On to the third.
Xavier Edwards lined out to BĂĄez to open the inning, and Skubal punched out Deyvison de los Santos for his fourth strikeout of the contest. Javier Sanoja grounded out to McGonigle to send it to the bottom of the third.
McGonigle did McGonigle things to open the Tigersâ half, lining a 2-2 fastball sharply to right field for a single. A grounder from Torres forced McGonigle, but Edwards threw wildly to first, allowing Torres to reach base. Colt Keith flew out to right center field, and that brought up Riley Greene with two outs. Torres reached second on a poor block by the Marlinsâ catcher, but Greene whiffed at a sweeper for strike three.
Skubal opened the fourth with four straight balls to Slater to put the leadoff hitter on, with Slater challenging the fourth pitch of the AB and winning. Ramirez worked a full count after a foul pop fly to left evaded McGonigle, but he flew out to BĂĄez jogging into the left center field gap. Marsee grounded to Torres, and the Tigers turned a slick 4-6-3 double play to end the Marlins half of the fourth. Skubal was at 50 pitches, and in good shape to go deep in this one. His command varied from great to just average early on, but as usual the stuff was ridiculous.
Dillon Dingler grounded out sharply, but Kerry Carpenter worked from behind in the count as Alcantara sprayed it a bit, mixing in five different pitches. Carpenter eventually walked, but Torkelson got a meaty cutter up in the zone and lifted a lazy fly ball to left for the second out. McKinstry flew out to center to end the inning.
Skubal got a quick pair of fly outs to open the fifth, but ahead of Norby 1-2, he drilled the Marlinsâ first baseman with a 98.3 mph heater, and that didnât feel great, mostly for Norby. Xavier Edwards grounded out to McGonigle to end the inning. The Marlins had yet to record a hit in this one.
BĂĄez banged a sharp grounder off Alcantaraâs glove to start the Tigersâ half, but it went right to Edwards. At that point, McGonigle stepped in, got himself a first pitch heater down the middle and he crushed it at 108.8 mph off the bat to right field for the first home run of his major league career. There will be many, many more, but it had to feel good to get number one. The kid is on fire and his teammates were as fired up as he was as he bounced back to the Tigersâ dugout. 4-0 Tigers.
Torres grounded out, and Keith made a bid to deep left center field, but Marsee hauled it in, and we were on to the sixth.
Skubal punched out de los Santos to start the sixth, and then Sanoja flew out sharply to center field. Skubal had continued to deny access to first base other than Norby, but Austin Slater fought off a heater on his hands and blooped a single into shallow center field to snuff thoughts of a no-hit bid. The Tigersâ ace was less than thrilled, but had a wry smile for his spring teammate at first base. And then he carved up Ramirez for his sixth strikeout to strand Slater.
Riley Greene ripped a sharp single through the right side of the infield to start the bottom half. Dingler hit another ball hard, but flew out to Slater on the warning track in right field. If Dingler starts hitting opposite field homers everyone is going to be in real trouble against him.
Kerry Carpenter fell behind 0-2, but fought off a pitch away and took a changeup away before Alcantara floated a sweeper down and in. Kerry kept a short stroke and golfed that thing to right field for his fourth home run of the season. Masters tribute homer. 6-0 Tigers.
Torkelson singled to left in the wake of Carpenterâs blast, and Alcantaraâs day was about over. McKinstry followed by lining Alcantaraâs 89th pitch for a single to right center field, and the Tigers were in business again. The Marlins still didnât even have their bullpen working, which was bizarre, so they held a mound meeting to let Alcantara regroup and get someone warm. They were way too late, as BĂĄez stayed red hot and smoked a fastball to right center field for an RBI single, scoring Torkelson. McKinstry went first to third, and BĂĄez took advantage of the relay to reach second base on the play. 7-0 Tigers.
Alcantara wanted nothing to do with McGonigle again, and quickly walked him to load the bases with one out. Torres grounded a ball to third, and Sanoja came home to cut down McKinstry at the plate. That left it to Keith. Alcantara was at 98 pitches, and it was wild to see the Marlins leave their ace in to take this beating. Ramirez wasted the Marlins last challenge on a first pitch ball to Keith, but they eventually got him to pop out down the third base line to end the parade of Tigersâ baserunners.
Marsee finally got something going for the Marlins when he dumped a fly ball into the right field corner and hooved it around to third with a triple. Lopez lifted a sacrifice fly to Carpenter, and it was 7-1 Tigers.
Skubal was looking a little upset with himself, and tried to settle in, but he ended up walking Heriberto Hernandez. The second walk of the outing brought Chris Fetter out to chill his ace out. The Tigersâ bullpen started getting Kyle Finnegan warm, and Skubal took a few deep breaths as Fetter departed back to the dugout.
After a lengthy battle with Norby, Skubal got the whiff on a good changeup, and that was the end of his day. The crowd roared for Skubal as he left the field, and the Tigersâ ace clapped his glove in appreciation of the home fans in return. 6.2 IP, ER, 2 H, 2 BB, 7 K on the day for Skubal.
Edwards flicked a soft single off of Finnegan, but Liam Hicks, former Tigersâ farmhand, pinch-hit for Ramirez. Finnegan got him to ground out to end the inning.
Right-hander Tyler Phillips took over for the Marlins in the bottom of the seventh. Riley Greene challenged a fastball low and won, drawing a walk to start the Tigersâ half. Dingler flew out to center field for the first out. Carpenter grounded into a force of Greene at second, and Torkelson struck out to send us to the eighth.
Finnegan got Sanoja to fly out to start the eighth, but Slater reached on a grounder that pulled McKinstry into foul territory. He made a nice play on it, but Torkelson couldnât handle the one-hopped throw. It didnât matter, as Ramirez grounded into an inning ending 5-4-3 double play. McKinstry and BĂĄez lined out in the bottom of the eighth, but McGonigle was enjoying the day too much, and smoked a fastball to right field for another single. The more he takes the junk ball approach and draws a ton of walks, the more theyâre going to have to throw him some fastballs, and he is hammering just about every fastball over the plate that he sees.
Torres flicked a line drive single to right field, and McGonigle went first to third on the knock. A wild pitch, really another poor block, to Colt Keith scored McGonigle to make it 8-1. Keith worked a full count, but eventually struck out on a bounced curveball to send us to the ninth.
Right-hander Connor Seabold got the call in the non-save situation. He gave up a one out solo shot to Otto Lopez that made it an 8-2 game, but bounced back to get Hernandez on strikes. Connor Norby kept the game alive with a soft single into left, but Edwards flew out to Greene in left to end it.
Good win, good series, and much needed for the Tigers here in the early going. Theyâll welcome in the Royals for three starting with a great southpaw matchup as Framber Valdez takes on Cole Ragans on Tuesday night.
With three more hits today, McGonigle is now hitting .322/.412/.508 with a 169 wRC+ and has reached base twice in 11 of his first 16 major league games. With Keith, Dingler, and BĂĄez also red hot, the Tigersâ offense is shaping up very well as Greene and Carpenter have broken out of their early funks.
BYB would like to send our condolences to the family and friends of former manager and three-time All-Star, Phil Garner.
Q&A
What was the final score of the Tigers vs. Marlins game on April 12, 2026?
The final score was 8-2 in favor of the Detroit Tigers.
Who hit their first home run for the Tigers in the game against the Marlins?
Rookie Kevin McGonigle hit his first home run during the game.
What is the current record of the Detroit Tigers after sweeping the Marlins?
The Detroit Tigers' record improved to 7-9 after the sweep.
Who were the starting pitchers in the Tigers vs. Marlins game?
The game featured Sandy Alcantara for the Marlins and Tarik Skubal for the Tigers.
