LAKELAND, Fla. — The Detroit Tigers celebrated in walk-off fashion against the Phillies, 7-6, in Saturday’s spring opener.
The Phillies led early, taking a 5-0 lead in the fifth, but the Tigers rallied to tie it up in the eighth inning. Left-hander Wesley Moore gave up a walk-off single to Justice Bigbie in the ninth.
Top prospects Justin Crawford and Aidan Miller made their spring debuts in the sixth inning in center field and shortstop, respectively. Neither recorded a hit, but Miller worked a walk and Crawford made solid contact on a lineout that clocked a 108.4 mph exit velocity.
The Phillies’ first home run in the spring came courtesy of Millville, N.J., native Buddy Kennedy, who sent a two-run shot over the left field wall in the fifth inning.
Who stood out: Cal Stevenson doubled in the third inning and came around to score the Phillies’ first run on an RBI single from Johan Rojas. Stevenson later worked a walk to lead off the fourth and stole second base.
Max Kepler came up in the third inning with the bases loaded and two outs, and plated two with a single up the middle. In his first appearance in left field since he was a minor leaguer, Kepler made three putouts.
Catcher Josh Breaux, a non-roster invitee to Phillies camp, had a multihit game with a solo homer in the sixth and a single in the seventh.
On the mound: The Phillies used seven pitchers. Colombian right-hander Nabil Crismatt got the start, allowing one hit and no runs over two innings. Alan Rangel followed and tossed two scoreless innings with one strikeout and one walk.
Joel Kuhnel allowed the Tigers’ first run on a pair of doubles in the fifth. Sidearmer Jose Cuas pitched the sixth and gave up three runs on three hits and one hit batsman. The Tigers tagged right-hander Austin Schulfer for two runs on three hits in the eighth.
The staff collectively limited walks, with Rangel, Kuhnel, and Moore issuing one walk apiece.
Quotable: “Changeup’s a dynamite pitch,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said of Rangel. “Both those first two guys, Crismatt and Rangel, throw real good changeups. And they throw strikes.”
On deck: Tyler Phillips is scheduled to start the Phillies’ first home game of spring training on Sunday against the Orioles at 1:05 p.m. at BayCare Ballpark. The game will be televised on NBC Sports Philadelphia.