The Detroit Tigers, after weeks on the brink, achieved an impressive victory that puts them in the position they longed for from the beginning.
Baez leads the offense
Javier Báez, with a home run, a steal, and four RBIs, led the offensive resurgence of the Tigers, who defeated the Seattle Mariners with a score of 9-3 in the fourth game of the American League Division Series, tying the series at 2-2.
Riley Greene hit his first postseason home run, breaking the 3-3 tie and starting a four-run rally in the sixth inning, culminating in Báez’s two-run homer.
Gleyber Torres also contributed with a home run for the Tigers, who had only two home runs in six games this postseason before Wednesday’s game.
I am proud of our guys because today’s game was symbolic of how we are. It’s a lot of different players doing something positive, several players.
A.J. Hinch, manager of the Tigers
After Seattle took an early 3-0 lead, the Tigers scored three runs in the fifth inning to tie the score. Báez capped the rally with a 104 mph single, shortly after nearly hitting a home run that just missed.
We knew we had a lot of baseball left, a lot of innings to play. We believe and we are never out until the last out is made.
Javier Báez
Báez, with a .346 postseason average and nine hits, evokes memories of his participation in the 2016 Chicago Cubs World Series championship. These playoffs have been a highlight in Báez’s Detroit career, marking a season of resurgence.
World Series champion all those years ago. He knows how to play in those situations. It doesn’t surprise me, but I’m very happy. Everything he does for the team is really special.
Gleyber TorresIn the fourth inning, the Tigers were close to disaster when the Mariners loaded the bases with no outs. Reliever Kyle Finnegan managed to limit the Mariners to one run, keeping the game in contention and setting the stage for the offense, which had been struggling.
The comeback from a three-run deficit tied the biggest postseason rally in Tigers history, a record previously established three times.
Detroit entered the day batting .191 during the playoffs, with home runs accounting for only 17% of their run production. During the regular season, that number was 42%.Detroit, impulsado por una ofensiva explosiva, logró una victoria remontada por 9-3, empatando la serie y forzando un decisivo Juego 5 en Seattle.
I think hitting is contagious and not hitting is contagious too.
Spencer Torkelson, Tigers first baseman
The decisive Game 5 will be played on Friday in Seattle. The Tigers will have Tarik Skubal, winner of the American League Cy Young Award, who has an ERA of 1.84 with 23 strikeouts in 14⅔ innings in two starts this postseason.
After the Tigers’ fall at the end of the regular season and offensive struggles in the playoffs, Detroit is one win away from the American League Championship Series, with their best pitcher ready to take the mound.
This is what competition is all about. This is what the game is played for, for Game 5. I think that will bring out the best in everyone involved. That’s why this game is so beautiful.
Tarik Skubal
It’s the scenario the Tigers would have wanted before the season, but they know they can’t take Skubal’s consistency for granted. They need help.
We are confident. We know who is pitching the last game for us. But we can’t put all the effort on him.
