Max Clark’s clutch home run and a dominant showing from Detroit’s premier prospects ignite a crucial victory, reviving slim playoff hopes while offering a glimpse of a bright future.
The Detroit Tigers took it to the max Tuesday night, earning a 4-1 victory over the American League-leading Tampa Bay Rays at Comerica Park.
Detroit picked up just its second victory in the last 11 games, improving to 62-70 and evening the series against Tampa Bay. The two teams will meet in a critical rubber game Wednesday afternoon, with Freddy Peralta (5-11) taking the mound for the Rays against Detroit's Troy Melton (7-2).
For any Tigers fans still keeping track of the playoff picture, Detroit moved back within 4.0 games of the final Wild Card spot entering Cleveland's Tuesday night matchup against the Los Angeles Angels. The Tigers are barely breathing, but they aren't sunk yet.
Tuesday's victory came on the back of strong pitching and some rare clutch hitting. None of those hits was bigger than Max Clark's second career home run.
Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the fifth inning, you could feel the exhaustion beginning to seep through the crowd at Comerica Park. The season has not been exactly what Tigers fans had hoped for, and that frustration seemed to be pouring over the stadium during the previous day and a half.
Then came the bottom of the fifth.
Spencer Torkelson led off the inning with his second hit of the game. After an eight-game hitless streak, a third hit in two days was a sight for sore eyes. Javier Baez then hit into a force out, sending Torkelson back to the dugout but keeping himself on the bases.
Still, with how poorly Detroit had been hitting over the last week and a half, it felt like it could all be for nothing. There didn't seem to be much to get excited about.
But in baseball, games can change with one swing of the bat.
That's exactly what happened when Clark stepped to the plate.
Clark smashed a long fly ball into right field. The outfielder continued taking step after step toward the wall, and a ball that initially looked like it might not have enough kept carrying until it cleared the fence.
Max Clark had done it again.
His second career home run gave Detroit the lead with a massive momentum-changing swing.
Later in the inning, Kevin McGonigle added an insurance run by hitting a hard ground ball to first base that scooted underneath Jonathan Aranda's glove. Gleyber Torres, who had been standing on second, came around to score and suddenly Detroit was up 3-1.
Then, in the seventh inning, Baez smashed a triple before Hao-Yu Lee singled him home to put an exclamation point on the Tigers' victory.
Detroit's biggest scoring plays came from Clark, McGonigle and Lee, three of the organization's premier young players. On a night when the Tigers desperately needed something to feel good about, their rookies provided a glimpse at just how bright the future could be in Detroit.
And the future isn't just bright at the plate.
It's looking pretty good on the mound, too.
Jackson Jobe got the start Tuesday and, although he didn't receive the victory, the young right-hander once again showed why his potential is so exciting.
A devastating curveball that is beginning to remind me more and more of Barry Zito, mixed with a fastball capable of reaching 100 mph, makes Jobe must-see TV.
Jobe went 4.1 innings, allowing four hits and one run while striking out four. His three walks are still something that can't be ignored, as he will need to continue improving his command, trusting his stuff and finding ways to generate more swings and misses.
But all in all, it was another tremendous start from Jobe, who continues to look better with every outing.
The Tigers bullpen, which has been Detroit's Achilles' heel for much of the season and has almost single-handedly kept the team from being in a stronger playoff position, turned in one of its better performances.
Drew Sommers picked up his first victory of the season, improving to 1-3 after throwing 1.2 innings. Jacob Waguespack and Tyler Holton each added an inning of scoreless work before Kenley Jansen did something he hadn't been able to do in eight days: close out a game.
Jansen secured his 17th save of the season, putting the finishing touches on a much-needed 4-1 win over the best team in the American League.
Detroit still has plenty of work to do, and its playoff hopes remain slim. But Tuesday night offered a reminder that this team still has some fight left.
More importantly, it showed exactly why the Tigers' future remains something worth getting excited about.
Detroit may be barely breathing, but it isn't dead yet.
