Jose Fernandez hit a three-run homer with two outs in the eighth inning to cap a three-hit, two-homer game in his major league debut as the Arizona Diamondbacks overcame a five-run deficit for 7-5 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday in Phoenix.
Fernandez’s second homer, off Tigers closer Kenley Jansen, capped a six-run inning to complete the comeback.
The Tigers scored five runs in the third inning, and Detroit starter Casey Mize cruised through six innings, leaving with a 5-1 lead.
Fernandez is the seventh player in modern major league history (since 1900) to hit two homers in his first game.
James McCann doubled to open the Arizona eighth and Jordan Lawlar singled off Drew Carpenter before Will Vest (0-1) entered and walked Ketel Marte to load the bases.
Corbin Carroll doubled to drive in two, making it 5-3, and Geraldo Perdomo walked to reload the bases. Gabriel Moreno ground into a forceout at third for the first out as Marte scored.
After another fielder’s choice, Jansen entered and gave up Hernandez’s homer to deep left-center on a 1-1 cutter.
Fernandez, recalled from Triple-A Reno on Monday, had an infield in in the second inning and a bases-empty homer run in the fourth.
Andrew Hoffman (1-0) pitched two hitless innings for the win, and Paul Sewald struck out the side in the ninth for his second save in as many days.
Mize gave four hits and two walks. He had nine strikeouts, one short of a career high. The right-hander went a career-best 14-6 last season while earning his first All-Star selection.
Riley Greene had a two-run double in the Tigers’ five-run third, and Kerry Carpenter capped the rally with an RBI single.
Arizona starter Brandon Pfaadt gave up six hits and five runs, all in the third inning, while lasting six innings in his season debut. He struck out three and walked one.
–Field Level Media
