Can the Detroit Tigers catch up with the struggling Minnesota Twins?
Minnesota Star Tribune sportswriter Bobby Nightengale joins Days of Roar to discuss how the struggling Minnesota Twins are helping the Detroit Tigers.
KANSAS CITY, Missouri – It seemed like Jace Jung had no chance of scoring on this play at the plate.
Except that he did.
It seemed as if the Detroit Tigers had no chance of making the playoffs a month ago – but after Wednesday’s 4-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals to win the three-game series at Kauffman Stadium, they are now only half a game behind the Minnesota Twins for the third and final wildcard spot in the race for the American League.
There are still nine games left.
The Twins lost to the Cleveland Guardians 5-4 on a walk-off single in overtime and allowed three runs in the second half of the 10th inning. The Tigers (80-73) have now won four games in a row, giving them a 25-10 record in their last 35 games (since August 11).
As for Jung’s game, another aggressive attack by third-base coach Joey Cora in the third inning provided a memorable moment as the Tigers continued their improbable push into the postseason.
With two runners on base, Trey Sweeney hit a two-strike slider from right-hander Alec Marsh into the right field corner.
Spencer Torkelson scored easily, but Jung – not known for his speed – had to hurry to score from first base. Right fielder Hunter Renfroe’s throw to catcher Salvador Pérez got there first, but Jung was able to dodge the hit with an athletic slide.
He rolled out of his sideways slide, jumped up, and flexed his muscles in celebration. He left his helmet behind and hopped to the dugout, where he was greeted with high-fives from his teammates and coaches.
The successful defeat gave the Tigers a 4-1 lead.
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Riley Greene hits home runs
The Tigers scored their first run (and tied the game) on an infield single by Jake Rogers in the second inning, but the real damage came in the third inning when three runs were scored.
Before Jung’s slide, Riley Greene hit a middle-middle fastball from Marsh for a solo home run, hitting the ball 427 feet into right field with an exit velocity of 112.1 mph.
The Tigers took a 2-1 lead.
Greene has 24 home runs in 128 games.
Tarik Skubal defeats the Royals
Left-hander Tarik Skubal, the favorite for the AL Cy Young Award, allowed one run on three hits and one walk in five innings, recorded seven strikeouts and threw 95 pitches.
All three hits came in the first inning.
The Royals took a 1-0 lead when Yuli Gurriel hit a hard grounder that Jung couldn’t stop at third base, but then Skubal mowed down the Royals in his final four innings.
The 27-year-old saved the best for last, throwing out Pérez on a down-and-in changeup, winning a seven-pitch battle and leaving two runners on the field, and roaring with joy after the strikeout.
Skubal leads the AL with a 2.48 ERA in 30 starts and also has the AL’s best results with 17 wins and 221 strikeouts.
The Royals cut their deficit to 4-2 with Pérez’s RBI single against right-handed reliever Brenan Hanifee in the eighth inning, but left-handed reliever Sean Guenther took the lead and immediately caused a double play, followed by an inning-ending flyout.
The combination of Guenther and right-handed reliever Will Vest shut down the Royals in the ninth inning and ended the game.
Contact Evan Petzold at [email protected] or follow him @EvanPetzold.
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