Baltimore — This is what we all wanted, but in our most optimistic moment two months ago we never dared to believe it was possible.
The Tigers return home to Comerica Park for the final series of the season with a good chance of securing a wild card spot.
With another thrilling series win, a 4-3 victory over the Orioles on Sunday, the Tigers – subject to the outcome of the second game of the doubleheader between the Twins and Red Sox – hold the final wild card spot by half a game.
RESULT: Tigers 4, Orioles 3
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Kerry Carpenter’s second home run of the game secured the win, and right-hander Jason Foley, who had given up a two-run lead in the ninth inning on Saturday, was able to take revenge with his 26th save.
On Sunday, 44,040 spectators celebrated at the sold-out Camden Yards. It was the last game of the Orioles’ regular season and the house was shaking long before the first pitch.
But the Tigers silenced them a minute early.
Spencer Torkelson hit a first-pitch cutter into the left-field foul post in the second inning, his ninth home run of the season. Rookies Jace Jung and Trey Sweeney followed with back-to-back doubles and scored two quick runs against Orioles right-hander Albert Suarez.
Carpenter hit his first home run off a changeup by Suarez in the third inning. The second home run came off a fastball by Suarez in the sixth inning after the Orioles had caught up in the fifth inning and tied the game.
Fittingly, the Tigers’ versatile and robust bullpen ensured that this narrow lead was maintained.
After Tyler Holton recorded four strikeouts in his two hitless innings to start the game, the Orioles got some good at-bats against rookie right-hander Ty Madden.
Cedric Mullins hit a two-run homer to right field and Jordan Westburg, who was activated from the injured list before the game, scored the tying point with a double.
Two successful defensive plays prevented further damage.
Adley Rutschman hit a 95 mph liner to the right of third baseman Jung in the fourth inning with a runner still on and one out. The ball bounced off Jung’s arm and into shallow left field.
Jung quickly recovered, got to the ball and threw it to Madden, who deftly covered third base and took out Colton Cowser as he tried to move from first to third base.
Parker Meadows then made his daily incredible catch, this time to end the fifth inning. Cowser sent a pitch from left-handed reliever Sean Guenther 397 feet into right-center field.
According to Statcast, this ball is a home run in 14 of 30 baseball stadiums, including Camden Yards.
Except Meadows jumped up, reached way over the wall and netted the ball, saving two runs.
From then on, both managers began emptying their bullpens and playing every possible combination they could find.
Right-hander Brenan Hanifee left a runner on third base in the sixth inning. Jung made another excellent play, catching a carom ball that bounced off Hanifee’s leg and threw out Ramon Urias.
Hanifee struck out Mullins to end the inning.
Right-hander Will Vest was called in in the seventh inning after Hanifee walked Gunnar Henderson on the first hit of the inning. Vest struck out Anthony Santander and brought in Cowser with another long fly to center for the win.
Vest struck out five batters in a row and gave the Tigers a one-run lead going into the ninth inning.
Orioles manager Brendon Hyde used three left-handed relievers in a row to counteract the Tigers’ left-handed hitting, particularly Carpenter, whom he took out of the game in the eighth inning.
Despite two home runs, Hinch used Justyn-Henry Malloy as a pinch hitter for Carpenter against left-hander Cionel Perez.
Perez hit Malloy on the foot, but no damage was done in that inning.
@cmccosky
