CHICAGO – It was like the Detroit Tigers played three different games against the Chicago White Sox on Friday, Sept. 18 – the final result was a wild one that ended with a stunning, completely improbable, 11-8 come-from-behind victory.
The first part was pure ugliness for the Tigers. It was a blizzard of blunders and misplays and errors and walks, as the White Sox jumped to an 8-2 lead (including six runs in the first inning) at Rate Field.
The second part? It was The Kevin McGonigle Show – the rookie shortstop had two hits, driving in four runs to lead the Tigers back, giving them a chance.
The third part? Oh boy, everybody got into the act. Hao-Yu Lee took over – the rookie
third baseman had a double and a two-run home run (to tie it at 8-all), driving in three runs. Dillon Dingler then gave the Tigers the lead with an RBI single. Then, Riley Greene finished it off with a massive two-run homer.
The Tigers’ victory kept their hopes alive in the American League wild-card chase, as their “tragic number” – the number of Detroit losses and wins by the White Sox needed to knock the Tigers out of playoff contention – remained at three. The White Sox still have the third and final wild-card spot, but their lead over the Toronto Blue Jays and Texas Rangers was guaranteed to shrink to one game; the tied Blue Jays and Rangers played late on Friday, assuring that one of them would gain on the White Sox. In the AL Central, however, the Tigers’ tragic number shrunk to two, as the division leading Cleveland Guardians won to take a one-game lead on the White Sox, and maintain a six-game lead on the Tigers with eight to play.
At the plate: Tigers finally get good bounce
The Tigers have been struggling with errors and misplays, losing their last two games.
But the ball started bouncing the right way for the Tigers. At least for a half-inning. In the first, Colt Keith bounced a ball past third baseman Miguel Vargas. It rolled slowly into foul territory, past the tarp. Keith hustled and got to second with ease. Which proved to be significant. Because starting pitcher David Sandlin threw a wild pitch that bounced off catcher Kyle Teel. Keith took off for third. When Teel couldn’t find the ball, Keith kept running, sliding across home plate to give the Tigers an early 1-0 lead.
On the mound: Walks, errors, hits – oh my
Before this game, Tigers manager A.J. Hinch was talking about Andrew Sears, the rookie making his third start for the Tigers.
"Obviously, I love a lot about Sears and what he brings," Hinch said. "He's got a good repertoire, and he needs to remember to use it. ... It's pretty good across the board when it comes to his pitches, his composure, his ability to manage the pitch clock, frustrate the hitter with how fast he pitches and then how slow he pitches.
But then, he added something that would be telling.
"I think more precise strike throwing is going to be important,” Hinch said.
Sears walked two of the first four White Sox he faced. Then, the Tigers’ sloppiness returned when Chase Meidroth hit a routine grounder to Gleyber Torres, who fumbled it to load the bases. From there? It only got worse. Sears threw a wild pitch that scored a run and then hit Teel to load the bases again.
Brenton Doyle hit a grounder to third and Lee committed an error, bobbling the ball. Then, Colson Montgomery laced a ball into right, clearing the bases, driving in three runs and giving the White Sox a 5-1 lead.
After Sears walked Tristan Peters, Hinch had seen enough. He pulled Sears and brought in Beau Brieske.
Vargas doubled to left. But then, finally, the Tigers had a clean play. Riley Greene fielded the ball off the wall. He hit McGonigle on the cutoff and McGonigle threw a strike to home plate, as catcher Eduardo Valencia applied the tag to cut down Peters to end the first inning.
The damage? Chicago 6, Tigers 1.
Sears’ final line: He gave up six runs (all unearned), two hits, walked three with no strikeouts. He threw 37 pitches, 19 of them strikes. But here was the real recap: walk, walk, Torres error, wild pitch that scored a run, hit-by-pitch, Lee error, double to left, walk, pitching change.
The White Sox added two more runs in the third inning when Vargas homered off Brieske, giving the White Sox a normally insurmountable 8-2 lead.
Kevin McGonigle show
Just when it seemed absolutely bleak. Just when it seemed over, frankly. McGonigle went to work. In the third inning, McGonigle singled to left, driving in Valencia.
Then, in the fifth inning, McGonigle came through again with the bases loaded. He tripled to center, driving in three runs, as the Tigers clawed back, 8-5.
How ya doing, Hao-Yu Lee
In the sixth inning, Lee crushed a double, driving in Max Clark.
Then, in the eighth inning, with Eduardo Valencia on first, Lee crushed a homer to right, tying the game, 8-8. He circled the bases, pumping his fist and screaming, jacking up his teammates. Then, everybody else got into the act. Dillon Dingler came through in the clutch, driving in McGonigle. And Greene had a beautiful homer – a 413-foot blast to right center – to give the Tigers an 11-8 lead.
Lee finished the game 4-for-5, knocking in three runs and scoring twice.
The Tigers finished it off with Kenley Jansen, who earned his 497th career save. He needs just three more saves to become the third pitcher in MLB history with 500.
Next up: Day baseball
The Tigers will play the third game of this four-game series on Saturday, Sept.19.
It was originally scheduled to be a night game but the game time was moved up to 2:10 p.m. ET trying to avoid rain. Tigers righty Jackson Jobe (2-2, 3.89) will face righty Sean Burke (9-7, 3.47) for the White Sox.
Contact Jeff Seidel: jseidel@freepress.com. Follow him on X @seideljeff.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Riley Greene, Tigers unleash ridiculous rally to wallop White Sox
