Riley Greene etched his name into the MLB record books on Friday night, becoming the first player in league history to hit two home runs in the ninth inning of a single game. His heroics capped off a dominant 9-1 win for the Detroit Tigers over the Los Angeles Angels.
Greene started the inning with a solo homer off Angels closer Kenley Jansen, breaking a 1-1 deadlock and opening the door for a late offensive surge. The Tigers piled on runs with additional home runs from Colt Keith and Javier Báez, knocking Jansen out of the game. When Greene returned to the plate later in the inning, now facing Jake Eder, he launched a three-run shot to right, sealing his place in history.
“Yeah, I just found that out — pretty cool,” Greene told reporters. “But the game is over. We got to show up tomorrow and try to win another baseball game.”
The 24-year-old outfielder has quietly been a key contributor this season. After Friday’s outburst, Greene is now hitting .276 with eight homers and 20 RBIs in 32 games.
While Greene grabbed the headlines, Tarik Skubal delivered another strong start on the mound. The Tigers ace gave up just one run on four hits with eight strikeouts over six innings.
Detroit improved to 21-12 with the win, keeping hold of first place in the American League Central heading into the weekend.
Photo: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
