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Tigers’ Kerry Carpenter’s HR sends Comerica Park into a frenzy
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- Tigers’ Kerry Carpenter’s HR sends Comerica Park into a frenzy
© David Rodriguez Munoz / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The post Tigers' Kerry Carpenter's HR sends Comerica Park into a frenzy appeared first on ClutchPoints .
The Detroit Tigers have played sensational baseball as the Major League season moves into the second half. They are leading the American League Central by 11 games, and manager A.J. Hinch has a team that is ready for any challenge and enjoys playing under the bright lights of a game on national television.
That is the case Sunday night as the Tigers are hosting the Minnesota Twins on ESPN's Sunday night game. They have sent the American League's best pitcher Tarik Skubal to the mound and their fans are thirsty for the team's 53rd win of the season. The Tigers gained an early advantage when slugger Kerry Carpenter launched a long home run in the bottom of the first inning off Twins pitcher Chris Paddack .
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Home runs are nothing new to Carpenter, who put a big swing on a high changeup. The ball went out over the right centerfield fence, and it sent Tigers fans into something of a frenzy. The team's solid clutch hitter and right fielder gave his team the advantage early in the game with their best pitcher on the mound.
After Carpenter's first-inning blast, the Tigers added a second run in the fourth inning when left fielder Riley Greene joined the home run parade for Detroit. He also took advantage of another high changeup and sent it even further than Carpenter's blast.
Carpenter adds triple, but forced out of game
Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
The Tigers were rolling along behind Skubal's outstanding pitching, and Carpenter figured out Paddack once again when he tripled in the bottom of the fifth inning. He rocketed the ball down the first base line and the ball got by Minnesota right fielder Willi Castro .
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Carpenter was able to make his way to third base, but he labored throughout his trip around the bases. Since he has had hamstring issues in the past, Hinch did not want to take any chances and Carpenter came out of of the game.
The Tigers have gotten fine clutch hitting throughout the season. Greene leads the team with 19 home runs and 63 runs batted in. He is followed by Spencer Torkelson who has blasted the ball out of the park 17 times with 50 RBI. Carpenter is third on the team in home runs with 16 and he has 32 RBI.
No team in either league is dominating its division the way they Tigers have to this point. The Tigers are 52-32 as they compete Sunday night, and that gives them their huge edge over the second-place Cleveland Guardians (40-42). While the history of baseball shows that multiple teams have blown double-digit leads in the past, the Tigers appear to have the pitching and clutch hitting to sustain nearly any challenge.
Related: Tigers' Kerry Carpenter drops 'optimistic' injury update after Twins exit
Related: Tarik Skubal makes Tigers history in dominant Twins outing
