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When the Detroit Tigers started the season 6-1, no one really thought that winning record was sustainable. After a while, they were right. It was the same old stinky Tigers, with a losing record.
But late into the season, the Tigers are teasing their fans, giving them hope of landing a playoff spot.
On Friday night, they beat the Baltimore Orioles, 1-0, putting them only 2.5 games out of a playoff spot. They are 76-72.
Detroit Free Press columnist Jeff Seidel writes:
It started on Friday night with an electric, dramatic, edge-of-your-seat, almost-perfect, near no-hitter that ended with a 1-0 victory over Baltimore, capping the night with fireworks and a standing ovation; it was so fun, so surprising, it was hard to fathom how it happened.
“That was just an incredible game and a huge win,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said late Friday night. “And a fun, fun group of guys in there.”
Oh, they’ll come back — tens of thousands of fans — cheering for the Tigers to beat the Orioles on Saturday night and then again on Sunday at noon, as this group of fun-loving Tigers fight for their first playoff berth in a decade. They climbed to within 2½ games of the Minnesota Twins for the final spot in the American League wild-card race entering Saturday.
Will many fans be shocked if they make it? Yes. Will they be shocked if they don't? Absolutely not.
But this late in the season, it's fun to even fantasize about the prospect of the Tigers making the playoffs.
Tigers go at it again Saturday against the Orioles at Comerica Park at 6:10 p.m.
Play Ball!
