Whoosh – here comes the baby powder.
Un. Freakin’. Believable.
The Detroit Tigers just keep winning. Refusing to quit. Even in a strange game that seemed like it would never end.
At least, not until Colt Keith was rounding first base with a giant smile on his face after his first walk-off hit and Riley Greene was sliding headfirst across home plate to end an epic, improbable, come-from-behind 10-9 win over the Kansas City Royals on Thursday, April 16.
Somebody ripped Keith’s jersey off his back and poured baby powder on his head – creating a halo of happiness – after the Tigers won their sixth straight game at Comerica Park.
“That’s huge,” Keith said. “It’s a great feeling.”
So, what are we to make of this team?
It won’t quit, that’s for sure. Not after losing five straight last week. Not after losing a five-run lead Thursday. Not after getting doused with rain and put in delay after delay after delay. And not even after suffering a gut punch of a home run to fall behind late.
Who cares? That only adds to the drama. Like a cliffhanger that makes you watch the next episode on Netflix.
Because this six-game winning streak already had a pair of eighth-inning rallies and now it has one in the ninth.
“Part of our DNA is our willingness to do anything,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “But the other part that comes with that is we’re going to play till the end and we’ve had to do that. These are really kind of funky wins. … The eighth inning has been magical here this home stand and the ninth inning today.”
This winning streak has been encouraging and dramatic and has had a little bit of everything.
It’s been the clutch hitting of Gleyber Torres and Greene and Keith, who worked together in the ninth inning to pull out the win on Thursday.
And some brilliant pitching by Keider Montero, Casey Mize and Tarik Skubal in a sweep against Miami.
It has been the unbelievable creativity that Javier Báez showed in a slide into home, avoiding a tag.
And the guts and instincts that Zach McKinstry displayed in racing home on a wild pitch.
And the bat of Wenceel Pérez, who lifted the Tigers to a win on Wednesday.
And the young legs of Kevin McGonigle going from first to home and then running straight to the front office and signing a massive contract.
And the confidence of Kerry Carpenter coming off the bench, like an assassin hiding in the shadows, and lifting a sacrifice fly.
And the arm of McGonigle making a crazy throw from behind third base and the eye of this young rookie, wisely challenging a strike and getting a walk. Wait. Did we already mention him? Sorry. The kid has done a bit of everything during this streak.
All these games have kind of blended together into one magical mosaic.
Last but not least, don’t forget the power of catcher Dillon Dingler, who has gone 5-for-12 with two homers in his last three games he’s played.
Every day it seems to be somebody new.
“Our guys play our 27 outs,” Hinch said. “We need to stack these wins when we have an opportunity, but the way that we fought in these two series, in this homestand, coming off of a really tough road trip, I think is a telling reminder that this team will play the whole game.”
It all starts with pitching
Now, let’s put this winning streak into the proper context.
Because it comes after a five-game losing streak.
So what has changed?
It’s pretty easy to explain. It all starts with pitching.
During the five-game losing streak, the Tigers gave up five earned runs per game – 25 in all.
During the first five games of this winning streak, the Tigers gave up five earned runs – period. (That’s one per game, which is pretty good.)
OK – this final game against Kansas City was an ugly duckling in comparison, as the Tigers gave up eight runs, all earned.
But so be it.
For the most part, the pitching has been outstanding.
In fact, here’s a wild stat: Tigers starters went six straight with at least 5⅔ innings pitched and one earned run or less allowed – the longest such streak for the franchise since 2006.
Yep, somebody should have knocked on wood.
Because the Royals ended that streak in the fifth inning on Thursday, as Montero went six innings but gave up four earned runs.
Again, so be it.
Nothing about this game was normal.
Somewhere between the first rain delay (before the game even started), and a delay when an umpire got sick and another rain delay, the Tigers blew a five-run lead.
“We know we have it,” Dingler said. “It’s just sometimes we lose it just a little bit.”
Yes, they lost it a little bit, all right, as their pitching disappeared and that bullpen faltered.
But that only set up an amazing setback.
“That game had so many mood swings, delays, rain, improbable loss, improbable win, probably on both sides,” Hinch said. “It was a crazy game to say the least. It’s a very rewarding reminder, you got to play all nine to see what happens, even when you get put in a little bit of disarray.”
Bats are heating up
The other encouraging sign of this winning streak?
The Tigers’ offense has picked up. I mean, at least by comparison.
“It’s really special,” McGonigle said. “We’re hot and we’re looking to continue to stay hot.”
During the five-game losing streak, the Tigers averaged three runs per game and hit just one homer.
During the six-game winning streak, the Tigers have averaged five runs per game and have hit six homers.
Better pitching and more offense?
Yep. That’s how you win six straight.
“It’s awesome,” Greene said. “It was kind of like last year, a little bit of the ‘Gritty Tigs.’”
Hmm. I thought this looked familiar.
Yes indeed, the Gritty Tigs are back.
Contact Jeff Seidel: jseidel@freepress.com. Follow him on X @seideljeffreepress.com. Follow him on X @seideljeff
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: ‘Gritty Tigs’ back with Detroit Tigers’ incredible comeback vs K.C.
Reporting by Jeff Seidel, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
