[autotag]Matt Vierling[/autotag] felt the heartache last fall when his Philadelphia Phillies fell to the Houston Astros in the World Series. It turns out he didn’t have to wait long for revenge against the defending champions.
Trying to make his mark with the Detroit Tigers after being traded to them in the offseason, Vierling did just that by pounding out four hits in the opener of a three-game series at Minute Maid Park. His first three hits went for singles, but his fourth, a two-run homer in the 11th inning, made the difference in the Tigers’ 7-6 victory:
Four-hit game for Matt Vierling and this one was CLUTCH! pic.twitter.com/vqWk1Rha3g
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) April 4, 2023
If breaking out offensively after going hitless in his first seven at-bats wasn’t enough, his diving catch in the fifth with the bases loaded and two outs in the fifth preserved a tie game. The Tigers needed to get in the win column for 2023, and Vierling made it happen almost singlehandedly.
It will be interesting to watch Vierling’s progress for a team not expected to do much this season. This is his second full season in the bigs, and he should get plenty of opportunities to prove himself.
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