Nick Castellanos belted two homers and the Cincinnati Reds overcame and a record-setting performance by Tyler Alexander -- as well as a costly Castellano error -- to post a 4-3 win over the host Detroit Tigers on Sunday in the first game of a doubleheader.

Seven-inning doubleheaders were recently approved by Major League Baseball due to the compacted schedule in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The left-handed Alexander struck out nine consecutive batters, setting a major league record by a reliever. It also tied the American League and franchise record for any pitcher, set by Doug Fister on Sept. 27, 2012.

Raisel Iglesias (1-1) pitched 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief to collect the win. Reds starter Anthony DeSclafani pitched five scoreless innings in his season debut. He gave up three hits and struck out two.

Tigers right-hander Rony Garcia, making second first major league start, gave up three runs on three hits in two-plus innings.

With the score tied at 3 in the seventh, Freddy Galvis doubled off Joe Jimenez (0-1) to lead off the inning. Tucker Barnhart advanced Galvis to third with a single and Shogo Akiyama brought him in with another single.

The Reds took an early lead on Castellanos' first homer. Akiyama drew a walk to lead off the game and Castellanos then crushed a Garcia offering over the left-center field wall.

Cincinnati stranded two runners in the second but Castellanos gave the Reds a 3-0 lead in the third when he smacked an opposite-field solo shot, his fourth of the season.

Alexander took over for Garcia after Castellanos' second homer and promptly went on his strikeout binge. He set the reliever record when Castellanos swung and missed on a 2-2 breaking pitch in the fifth.

Alexander hit Mike Moustakas with a pitch in the sixth inning, ending the strikeout streak. He struck out the next batter, Eugenio Suarez.

The Tigers loaded the bases with two out against Lucas Sims in the sixth on a single, walk and hit batter. Victor Reyes then hit a fly ball to right center that bounced off Castellanos' glove, allowing all three runners to score to tie the game.

Iglesias came in and got the last out of the inning.

--Field Level Media