Two youngsters homer in Detroit Tigers' 4-2 win over Phillies in Grapefruit League opener
LAKELAND, Fla. — The Detroit Tigers beat the Philadelphia Phillies, 4-2, on Saturday at Joker Marchant Stadium in the first game of the Grapefruit League schedule in spring training.
What happened
In the third inning, Parker Meadows — the younger of the organization's two Meadows brothers — crushed the first pitch of his spring training, a 92 mph fastball from Erich Uelmen, to right-center for a solo home run.
The 23-year-old embraced with older bother, Austin Meadows, after crossing home plate.
Just like that, the Tigers had a 1-0 lead.
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The Phillies tied the game, 2-2, in the seventh inning against left-hander Zack Logue. He was responsible for a single, a wild pitch, a hit-by-pitch, a double and a walk, along with a pitch clock violation that handed out a free ball. Former Tiger John Hicks ripped a two-run double to center to even the score.
Logue escaped the inning with an uncanny 6-3-5-2 triple play.
In the eighth, Andre Lipcus put the Tigers back on top, 4-2, with a two-run home run to left field. He crushed a 93 mph fastball. The 24-year-old seems likely to play an everyday role in Triple-A Toledo this season.
On Meadows Day in Lakeland, Parker gets to play with his brother… And goes yard @freep @freepsports pic.twitter.com/NkxNhn9lmW
— Jeff Seidel (@seideljeff) February 25, 2023
Starting off
Right-hander Garrett Hill, who could pitch out of the Tigers' bullpen this season, started and completed two scoreless innings. The 27-year-old tossed 34 pitches (22 strikes) and allowed one hit and one walk without damage.
He worked himself into a jam in the second inning.
Hill walked Scott Kingery on 10 pitches, almost all of which were fastballs, then gave up an infield single to Hicks. The next batter, Simon Muzziotti, grounded into an inning-ending double play to end Hill's outing.
In the first inning, Hill struck out former Tiger Nick Castellanos with a nasty down-and-away slider. He fastball sat around 95 mph out of the windup and 94 mph out of the stretch.
At the plate
After Parker Meadows' solo shot, which had a 110 mph exit velocity, the Tigers scored again in the sixth inning on an RBI single from Jermaine Palacios following a fielding error and a hit-by-pitch.
Palacios hit a changeup from righty Jake Jewell into left for a 2-0 lead.
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In the second inning, Akil Baddoo doubled off left-hander Michael Plassmeyer's 89 mph fastball. The 24-year-old has hit .219 with zero home runs in 150 plate appearances against left-handed pitchers in his MLB career.
Baddoo, Palacios, Parker Meadows and Andy Ibáñez collected hits for the Tigers.
Austin Meadows nearly homered down the right-field line, but the umpire deemed the ball foul.
On the mound
The best pitcher out of the bullpen was Rule 5 draft pick Mason Englert, a right-hander from the Texas Rangers. For the Tigers to keep him, the 23-year-old will need to stay on the active roster for the entire season.
He pitched two scoreless innings without allowing a hit or a walk, striking out four while getting seven whiffs.
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The Tigers also pitched left-hander Adam Wolf in the third inning and right-hander Miguel Diaz in the fourth. Right-hander Yaya Chentouf, pulled up from minor-league camp, entered for the eighth. He didn't look sharp early on but stranded two runners and struck out the final batter he faced.
Right-hander Angel De Jesus finished off a 1-2-3 ninth inning.
Three stars
1. Lipcius, 2. Englert, 3. Parker Meadows.
Next up
Sunday vs. Baltimore Orioles in Lakeland.
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him on Twitter @EvanPetzold.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers pop NL champ Phillies, 4-2, in spring training opener
