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One hundred games into the season, the Detroit Tigers may have played their most entertaining game yet.
After a 30-minute rain delay pushed first pitch back at Wrigley Field, the Tigers and Cubs delivered an instant classic. Momentum swung back and forth all night, stars emerged on both sides, and when the dust finally settled after 10 innings, Detroit had outlasted one of baseball's hottest teams with a gritty 8-5 victory.
From clutch pitching and timely defense to a pair of massive home runs from Dillon Dingler, Monday night's win had a little bit of everything.
Let's take a look at the three stars from Detroit's thrilling extra-inning victory.
Before we get to the three stars, let's recognize an honorable mention.
Kenley Jansen wasn't called upon to save the game—he was called upon to save the day. With the game tied 5-5 in the bottom of the ninth, the veteran closer was tasked with giving Detroit one more chance.
Things got off to a rocky start. Jansen allowed a leadoff double to Dansby Swanson into the left-field gap. The first out came on a deep fly ball to center, allowing Swanson to tag up and move to third. After intentionally walking Pete Crow-Armstrong, who promptly stole second, Jansen buckled down and struck out Seiya Suzuki for the second out.
A tense walk to Michael Busch loaded the bases, bringing Alex Bregman to the plate with the game on the line. Jansen fell behind 3-0 before battling all the way back to a full count—his fourth consecutive full-count hitter, excluding the intentional walk. Then he reached back and blew a fastball past Bregman for a game-saving strikeout that sent the contest into extra innings.
It was one of the most stressful innings of Tigers baseball this season. Every pitch ratcheted up the tension, and Jansen somehow found a way to escape.
It didn't take long for Gleyber Torres to remind everyone what he brings to Detroit's lineup.
Returning from the injured list, Torres wasted no time, blooping the very first pitch he saw into shallow center for a single. He eventually came around to score.
He added a walk in the fifth inning before delivering another opposite-field single in the seventh with Kevin McGonigle on second. While the hit wasn't deep enough to bring McGonigle home, it kept the inning alive and continued to apply pressure.
In his return, Torres finished 2-for-3 with a run scored.
Riley Greene continues to cement himself as one of Detroit's biggest offensive catalysts.
The All-Star outfielder finished 2-for-5 with two runs scored, three RBIs, and another home run.
His second homer in as many games—his 15th of the season—came in the opening inning on a towering three-run blast over the right-field wall, immediately giving Detroit a 3-0 advantage.
Then came one of the game's biggest moments.
Leading off the 10th inning with Hao-Yu Lee at second, Greene ripped a scorching comebacker that struck Cubs pitcher Trent Thornton in the ankle. Thornton attempted a throw to first, but his off-balance toss sailed well wide of the bag before he was forced to leave the game. Greene reached safely and eventually came around to score another insurance run.
The Detroit Tigers' hottest hitter put on his Superman cape Monday night.
Dingler finished 4-for-5 with three runs scored, three RBIs, two home runs, and the game-winning RBI in the 10th inning.
After Greene's three-run blast opened the scoring, Dingler immediately followed with a towering opposite-field home run to right-center—his 20th of the season and first opposite-field homer of the year—to give Detroit a 4-0 lead just five batters into the game.
He added a single in the fourth before delivering another huge swing in the eighth. Dingler turned on a pitch on the inner half and launched it deep into the left-field seats for his second home run of the night, giving the Tigers a 5-3 lead.
The milestone homer also made history. Dingler became the first Tigers catcher to record at least 20 home runs and 20 doubles in a season since Mickey Tettleton accomplished the feat in 1993. Detroit still has 62 games remaining.
Then came the biggest hit of the night.
With Hao-Yu Lee at third and Riley Greene at first in the top of the 10th, Dingler ripped a sharp ground ball through the left side between third base and shortstop, scoring Lee with the go-ahead run and putting Detroit back in front, 6-5.
Superman indeed.
Hao-Yu Lee: Pinch-hit for Colt Keith in the fifth inning and lined a slider into the outfield to load the bases.
Kerry Carpenter: Finished 0-for-5 and is now hitless in his last 25 at-bats.
Kevin McGonigle: Drew a walk in the fifth before ripping a double down the left-field line. He exploded out of the batter's box and slid headfirst into second, energizing the large contingent of Tigers fans at Wrigley Field.
Colt Keith: Batting third, Keith drove an opposite-field double and later scored.
Spencer Torkelson: Torkelson was like Happy's Pizza—he delivered late. His 10th-inning single up the middle and past a diving Dansby Swanson plated two insurance runs, extending Detroit's lead to 8-5.
Jack Flaherty: Needed 43 pitches to get through the first two innings. He surrendered back-to-back home runs in the third inning—a two-run shot followed by Michael Busch's solo homer. Final line: 4.0 innings, four hits, three earned runs, two walks, and four strikeouts.
Kyle Finnegan: After recording the final out of the seventh, Finnegan returned for the eighth. Following an opening strikeout of Michael Busch, Alex Bregman singled before Ian Happ crushed a game-tying two-run homer to right, evening the score at 5-5.
Tyler Holton: It wasn't a stress-free inning, but Holton closed the door in the 10th to earn his first save of the season.
Kevin McGonigle opened the game with a spectacular diving stop to his right while playing up the middle, robbing the Cubs of a leadoff hit.
Spencer Torkelson followed with a terrific lunging stop at first base later in the inning, beating the runner to the bag after flipping the ball to Jack Flaherty for the final out.
To end the fifth inning, Dingler fired a frozen rope to Gleyber Torres at second base, catching Seiya Suzuki leaning too far toward third on a perfectly executed back pick. The defensive gem ended the inning and preserved Detroit's 4-3 lead.
What a night in Chicago.
The Tigers showed resilience, grit, and just enough magic to outlast one of baseball's best teams in an unforgettable extra-inning battle. If Monday night's performance is any indication, Detroit isn't going away quietly.
On to the next.
Continue reading...
After a 30-minute rain delay pushed first pitch back at Wrigley Field, the Tigers and Cubs delivered an instant classic. Momentum swung back and forth all night, stars emerged on both sides, and when the dust finally settled after 10 innings, Detroit had outlasted one of baseball's hottest teams with a gritty 8-5 victory.
From clutch pitching and timely defense to a pair of massive home runs from Dillon Dingler, Monday night's win had a little bit of everything.
Let's take a look at the three stars from Detroit's thrilling extra-inning victory.
Honorable Mention – Kenley Jansen's Heart-Stopping Ninth Inning
Before we get to the three stars, let's recognize an honorable mention.
Kenley Jansen wasn't called upon to save the game—he was called upon to save the day. With the game tied 5-5 in the bottom of the ninth, the veteran closer was tasked with giving Detroit one more chance.
Things got off to a rocky start. Jansen allowed a leadoff double to Dansby Swanson into the left-field gap. The first out came on a deep fly ball to center, allowing Swanson to tag up and move to third. After intentionally walking Pete Crow-Armstrong, who promptly stole second, Jansen buckled down and struck out Seiya Suzuki for the second out.
A tense walk to Michael Busch loaded the bases, bringing Alex Bregman to the plate with the game on the line. Jansen fell behind 3-0 before battling all the way back to a full count—his fourth consecutive full-count hitter, excluding the intentional walk. Then he reached back and blew a fastball past Bregman for a game-saving strikeout that sent the contest into extra innings.
It was one of the most stressful innings of Tigers baseball this season. Every pitch ratcheted up the tension, and Jansen somehow found a way to escape.
3rd Star – Gleyber Torres
It didn't take long for Gleyber Torres to remind everyone what he brings to Detroit's lineup.
Returning from the injured list, Torres wasted no time, blooping the very first pitch he saw into shallow center for a single. He eventually came around to score.
He added a walk in the fifth inning before delivering another opposite-field single in the seventh with Kevin McGonigle on second. While the hit wasn't deep enough to bring McGonigle home, it kept the inning alive and continued to apply pressure.
In his return, Torres finished 2-for-3 with a run scored.
2nd Star – Riley Greene
Riley Greene continues to cement himself as one of Detroit's biggest offensive catalysts.
The All-Star outfielder finished 2-for-5 with two runs scored, three RBIs, and another home run.
His second homer in as many games—his 15th of the season—came in the opening inning on a towering three-run blast over the right-field wall, immediately giving Detroit a 3-0 advantage.
Then came one of the game's biggest moments.
Leading off the 10th inning with Hao-Yu Lee at second, Greene ripped a scorching comebacker that struck Cubs pitcher Trent Thornton in the ankle. Thornton attempted a throw to first, but his off-balance toss sailed well wide of the bag before he was forced to leave the game. Greene reached safely and eventually came around to score another insurance run.
1st Star – Dillon Dingler
The Detroit Tigers' hottest hitter put on his Superman cape Monday night.
Dingler finished 4-for-5 with three runs scored, three RBIs, two home runs, and the game-winning RBI in the 10th inning.
After Greene's three-run blast opened the scoring, Dingler immediately followed with a towering opposite-field home run to right-center—his 20th of the season and first opposite-field homer of the year—to give Detroit a 4-0 lead just five batters into the game.
He added a single in the fourth before delivering another huge swing in the eighth. Dingler turned on a pitch on the inner half and launched it deep into the left-field seats for his second home run of the night, giving the Tigers a 5-3 lead.
The milestone homer also made history. Dingler became the first Tigers catcher to record at least 20 home runs and 20 doubles in a season since Mickey Tettleton accomplished the feat in 1993. Detroit still has 62 games remaining.
Then came the biggest hit of the night.
With Hao-Yu Lee at third and Riley Greene at first in the top of the 10th, Dingler ripped a sharp ground ball through the left side between third base and shortstop, scoring Lee with the go-ahead run and putting Detroit back in front, 6-5.
Superman indeed.
Other Player Notes
Hao-Yu Lee: Pinch-hit for Colt Keith in the fifth inning and lined a slider into the outfield to load the bases.
Kerry Carpenter: Finished 0-for-5 and is now hitless in his last 25 at-bats.
Kevin McGonigle: Drew a walk in the fifth before ripping a double down the left-field line. He exploded out of the batter's box and slid headfirst into second, energizing the large contingent of Tigers fans at Wrigley Field.
Colt Keith: Batting third, Keith drove an opposite-field double and later scored.
Spencer Torkelson: Torkelson was like Happy's Pizza—he delivered late. His 10th-inning single up the middle and past a diving Dansby Swanson plated two insurance runs, extending Detroit's lead to 8-5.
Jack Flaherty: Needed 43 pitches to get through the first two innings. He surrendered back-to-back home runs in the third inning—a two-run shot followed by Michael Busch's solo homer. Final line: 4.0 innings, four hits, three earned runs, two walks, and four strikeouts.
Kyle Finnegan: After recording the final out of the seventh, Finnegan returned for the eighth. Following an opening strikeout of Michael Busch, Alex Bregman singled before Ian Happ crushed a game-tying two-run homer to right, evening the score at 5-5.
Tyler Holton: It wasn't a stress-free inning, but Holton closed the door in the 10th to earn his first save of the season.
Defensive Magnificence
Kevin McGonigle opened the game with a spectacular diving stop to his right while playing up the middle, robbing the Cubs of a leadoff hit.
Spencer Torkelson followed with a terrific lunging stop at first base later in the inning, beating the runner to the bag after flipping the ball to Jack Flaherty for the final out.
To end the fifth inning, Dingler fired a frozen rope to Gleyber Torres at second base, catching Seiya Suzuki leaning too far toward third on a perfectly executed back pick. The defensive gem ended the inning and preserved Detroit's 4-3 lead.
Notes
- "Let's Go Tigers!" chants echoed throughout Wrigley Field.
- Detroit scored four runs on just 13 pitches, tied for the fourth-fewest pitches needed to score four runs in a game this season.
- The two teams combined to use 12 pitchers (Detroit five, Chicago seven).
- Detroit improved to 47-53, moving to 6.5 games behind in the AL Central and 4.5 games back of the final American League Wild Card spot.
What a night in Chicago.
The Tigers showed resilience, grit, and just enough magic to outlast one of baseball's best teams in an unforgettable extra-inning battle. If Monday night's performance is any indication, Detroit isn't going away quietly.
On to the next.
Continue reading...
