After yet another disappointing loss on Friday night, the Tigers looked to get a win and ensure their spot in the playoffs with at least a Wild Card berth. A tight, tense, pitching-dominated game with some excellent defensive plays and a clutch hit resulted in a 2-1 Tigers victory and a punched ticket to the playoffs.
Making one of the biggest starts of his life was Keider Montero, his twelfth of the season with the big club. He’s logged a lot of miles (kilometres) on I-75 this year, shuttling back
and forth between Detroit and Toledo; no doubt he’s well-familiar with the likes of Flat Rock, Monroe, and maybe even Luna Pier. At any rate, he’d made two starts with the Tigers in September, going five stellar innings against the Marlins… but his previous start was a three-inning, three-run, four-walk performance against Atlanta that was, frankly, not great.
The colourfully-named Connelly Early, a lanky, left-handed Virginian, made his fourth career start against the Tigers. His previous two starts were both great: pitching into the sixth each time, giving up no runs, and striking out a combined 18 while walking only one. He started this year in Double-A Portland, stopping briefly in Triple-A Worcester before being called up to the Red Sox in early September.
In the bottom of the second the Crimson Socks got runners on the corners with two outs via a pair of singles and a flyout. They scored a run with a Nick Sogard single up the middle, but Javier Báez flew through the air to grab a sinking liner in short left field for the third out, thus limiting the damage.
Things were kinda quiet until the top of the fifth: a pair of singles and a walk loaded the bases with two outs and Jahmai Jones, at the top of the order, up to the plate. Would they squander?
Not this time, buckaroo! Jones smashed a changeup into left field, scoring a pair and putting the Tigers on top 2-1.
Montero lasted until one out in the bottom of the fifth, giving up five hits, one run, walking one and whiffing seven. Brant Hurter took over and struck out the next two batters. If he can keep turning out performances like that, holy moly, what a help that would be.
Hurter allowed a single and got an out in the sixth, and Rafael “The Other” Montero came on to strike out Ceddanne Rafaela (“Rafael, Rafaela!”), and coax a grounder to second out of Nathaniel Lowe. Then, R. Montero carried on into the seventh and got a couple of outs, surrendering a single, and Tyler Holton was summoned to face lefty David Hamilton, who struck out swinging on a sweeper.
Holton then carried on into the eighth, and he got Les Chausettes Rouges 1-2-3, including a sensational sliding catch by Wenceel Pérez in right and a great catch-and-throw at shortstop by Báez.
In the top of the ninth the Tigers looked to add some insurance runs. They had runners on first and second with two outs and Báez, who has had a penchant for clutch hits against Boston this year, up at the plate. Alas, Báez struck out on three pitches, including one near his head, and the game turned to the bottom of the ninth.
With a one-run lead, Will Vest was brought in to close things out. Now, Vest has been very good most of the time, but has had some shaky outings in the past few weeks. Which Will would we see?
Grounder to second, one out.
Swinging strikeout on a changeup, two out.
Grounder to third. Three out.
That’s it. That’s what it took to get back to the playoffs. It was a foregone conclusion for a good part of the season, then it was far from that in September, and now it’s a sure thing. Who will they play? Where will they play? Who will start Sunday? There will be lots of questions to answer in the next few days, but for now, you can rest a little easier knowing the Detroit Tigers will be assured of at least a Wild Card berth. You get into that tournament, anything can happen.
Final score: Tigers 2, Red Socks 1
Notes and Observances
- Riley Greene is a puzzling one. In Baseball Reference’s “Late & Close” situations this year — plate appearances in the seventh inning or later, and the game is either tied, the Tigers are up by one, or the tying run is on deck — he’s come to the plate 85 times. What has he done? He’s gone 10-for-77, struck out 30 times, and had a .484 OPS. That’s not great.
- Speaking of Greene and strikeouts… he got his 200th in the second inning.
- On this day in 1066, William the Conqueror and his army set sail for the south of England to eventually take over the whole darn thing. You know, when you name your son something as ostentatious as “William the Conqueror,” you hope he’ll go on to do something big. This time, he did! Good for him.
