Chisholm's 403-Foot Blast Flips the Script in Detroit

Jazz Chisholm Jr. crushed a two-run homer 403 feet to right center in the sixth inning, turning a deficit into a lead the Yankees never surrendered. New York took the final, 4-3, behind a sixth inning that did all the damage.

Carlos Rodón handed Detroit the early advantage and nearly handed them the game. In the third, a wild pitch scored McKinstry and moved Ben Malgeri to second, and then Dillon Dingler singled to left to score Malgeri — just like that, the Tigers were up 2-0. Rodón settled in enough to get through 5.1 innings, but the 3 earned runs and 6 hits he allowed meant New York needed to manufacture something on offense. They chipped one back in the fourth when Jose Caballero grounded out to third, scoring Chisholm Jr. to make it 2-1, but Detroit still held the edge heading into the sixth.

Then Chisholm Jr. happened. With Detroit's home win probability sitting at 63%, he launched a 403-foot shot to right center that scored Goldschmidt and put the Yankees ahead 3-2 — a 30-point swing in win probability on a single swing of the bat. That's the story of the night. Austin Wells, back from a two-week IL stint due to cervical headaches, immediately made his presence felt by doubling to left to score Caballero and push the lead to 4-2. New York had done in one inning what they couldn't do in five. Detroit answered when Matt Vierling doubled to left to score Dingler and make it 4-3, but that's as close as the Tigers would get.

Casey Mize was sharp enough — 5.2 innings, 6 strikeouts, 1 walk — but 8 hits and 4 earned runs is a tough line to defend. Kyle Finnegan was arguably the best pitcher on the field, tossing 1.1 scoreless innings with 4 strikeouts and zero hits allowed, though the damage was already done by the time he entered. For New York, Chisholm Jr. finished 2-for-4 with the homer, 2 RBI, and 2 runs scored. Dingler went 3-for-4 for Detroit and looks like one of the few Tigers who showed up ready to compete. The Yankees came into this one having dropped a series to Cincinnati, so this win appears to be a necessary reset — though whether it signals anything beyond one good sixth inning remains to be seen.