Riley Greene's Record-Breaking Ninth Inning Powers Tigers to Victory

Riley Greene stepped up to the plate in the ninth inning of a tied game and left the field a history-maker. The 23-year-old Detroit Tigers outfielder hit two home runs in the ninth inning, becoming the first player in MLB history to do so.

The game was tied 1-1 when Greene went head to head with legendary closer Kenley Jansen. Leading off the top of the ninth, Greene crushed a 371-foot home run to give the Tigers a 2-1 lead. But his night wasn’t over yet. With two outs later in the inning, Greene returned to the plate and launched a three-run homer off Angels reliever Jake Eder, making it 9-1.

With these two powerful swings that together traveled 780 feet, Riley Greene became the first player in MLB history to hit two home runs in the ninth inning of a game. He's also the first Tigers player to hit two homers in any single inning since fan-favorite Magglio Ordonez accomplished the feat in 2007. Even more impressive, this was Greene's second two-homer game in less than a week, having hit two against the Houston Astros just five days earlier.

A Rising Star

At just 23 years old, Riley Greene has quickly become one of the most important players for the Detroit Tigers. These latest home runs were his seventh and eighth of the season, and he's now hitting .276 with 19 runs scored and 20 RBIs. Greene made his first All-Star team last year, showing that he's not just a promising young player but already among the best in baseball. He's a big reason why the Tigers have jumped out to one of the best records in the American League this season, leading the competitive AL Central division with a 21-12 record.

Tigers manager A.J. Hinch had high praise for his young star: "He's made an All-Star team. He's been a featured player on our team. He's been in the middle of the order. He gets all the toughest matchups. And he asks for more. You want guys to be rewarded whenever they work as hard as they do. Tonight was a huge night for him." (Espn.com) When asked about his historic performance, Greene wasn't focused on personal achievements. "I was just thinking, 'Win the baseball game.' That's it," (MLB.com) he said, showing the team-first attitude that has made him a fan favorite in Detroit.

As the Tigers continue their strong start to the season, Riley Greene's name is one baseball fans everywhere should remember. With performances like this, he's not just making history, he's showing he could be one of baseball's biggest stars for years to come.