Tigers fans were reintroduced to postseason baseball Tuesday, and also got a reintroduction to the stress and drama that October can bring, as the Tigers escaped by the thinnest of margins in a 3-1 victory over the Astros to take Game 1 of the AL Wild Card.
Beau Brieske faced a bases-loaded, two-out situation in the bottom of the ninth but forced Jason Heyward to line out to first baseman Spencer Torkelson for the final out, stunning the Minute Maid Park crowd and putting the Tigers just one win away from their first appearance in the ALDS since 2013. A blown lead would've shrouded an excellent performance from starter Tarik Skubal, who finished his first postseason start by allowing four hits, one walk, and striking out six batters in six innings while battling an injury to his right hand.
The Tigers scored all three of their runs in the second inning off Astros starter Framber Valdez. Jake Rogers, Trey Sweeney, and Matt Vierling all hit two-out RBI singles back-to-back-to-back to give Skubal a perfect cushion to work with. However, the Tigers had plenty of chances to extend the lead as they left 11 runners on base during the game.
The Astros got three of their seven total hits in the bottom of the ninth against Jason Foley, who was pulled for Brieske to finish the job. Will Vest struck out four of the five batters he faced and didn't allow a hit, as the "Gritty Tigs" now have less than 24 hours to get ready for Game 2.
Tigers get out of 2-out, bases-loaded jam in bottom of the ninth to defeat Astros in Game 1
Bottom 9th
Foley's still in and Pena is in bunt mode. Pena gets the bunt to stay fair as Rogers has to throw to first as Pena's out, but now there's runners on second and third. Foley is pulled and now it's up to Beau Brieske to get these final two outs. Caratini hits a rocket to left field but Greene makes the catch and everyone stays where they are. Now it's up to Chad McCormick, and he forces a full count and Brieske pitches too low and now the bases are loaded with two outs. Heyward is up to bat for a second time, and now it's a 2-2 count as Heyward hits it right to Torkelson for the final out! Tigers escape by the thinnest margin and steal Game 1 on the road. Game 2 is tomorrow, so hopefully Tigers fans can get some time to breathe.
Diaz ends Tigers shutout, Astros score first run to extend late rally but Tigers still up 3-1
Jason Foley is called up to get the final three outs, and it won't be easy as he faces Alvarez first. Alvarez hits a high ball off the left field wall for a double, as Zach Dezenzo comes in as a pinch runner for the DH. Bregman's up to bat and hits a grounder to Sweeney, who makes a clutch dive and catches the ball but can't make a play as we now have runners on first and third. Diaz almost strikes out but the ball hit the dirt before Rogers could catch it, then he hits a single to right field as Dezenzo scores and now there's runners on first and second.
Top 9th
Astros bring out their lefty reliever in Josh Hader to keep the Tigers scoreless, and he gets a quick ground out on Carpenter. Greene swings on first pitch for a ground-rule double, then Keith grounds out to first and moves Greene to third as the Tigers have another chance to extend this lead. Perez forces a 2-2 count but swings on a high sinker to pop out and end the inning.
Bottom 8th
Veteran Jason Heyward pinch hits for Myers, but he strikes out for Vest's third in four batters. He isn't done yet as Altuve looks at strike three for the second out of the inning, and that will end Vest's day with his four strikeouts against five batters. Tyler Holton comes in and it takes just two pitches to force a ground out from Tucker, and now the Tigers are an inning away from a big Game 1 win.
Top 8th
After getting himself out of that jam in the top of the seventh, Blanco stays in and gets Rogers to strike out on a low and away slider. Sweeney also strikes out swinging, then Vierling walks after forcing a full count to end Blanco's day on the mound. Caleb Ferguson comes up to pitch, and Vierling gets caught trying to steal second for the final out of the frame.
Bottom 7th
Skubal's day is done, as he gave up no runs and had six strikeouts on 88 pitches. Will Vest comes in as the Tigers' first reliever today and gets Pena to strikeout for the third time today. Caratini strikes out looking, then a pinch-hitting Jon Singleton cracks a loud hit but flies out to Meadows for the final out.
Top 7th
Blanco stays in and Kerry Carpenter comes in to pinch hit for Malloy. Both him and Greene ground out to Caratini as Greene has gone hitless in his four at-bats, then Keith forces a full count and then is walked for the second time today. Perez hits a ball to right field as Keith moves to third and Perez just slides into second. The Astros challenge the call but replay confirms that Perez is safe. Torkelson is also walked as the bases are loaded with two outs and Meadows up to bat. Meadows swings and misses at a high fastball as the Astros get out of a huge jam.
Bottom 6th
Tucker flies out to Sweeney for the first out, then Skubal strikes out Alvarez on another nasty changeup. Bregman forces a full count and a mound visit for Skubal as tries to work through his injury, but Bregman gets a hit that almost sneaks out of left field but it stays in play for a single. It doesn't matter as Skubal gets fired up after Diaz strikes out to end the sixth inning.
Top 6th
Bryan King takes the mound for the Astros and gets Meadows to pop out in foul territory. Rogers gets his second hit of the day on a single to left field, then Sweeney strikes out on a full count. King gets pulled after facing three batters and now it's Ronel Blanco looking to get the final out. Blanco comes back from a 3-0 count to strike out Vierling and end the top of the sixth.
Bottom 5th
Skubal stays in for his fifth inning of work as Torkelson snags Pena's hit out the air for the first out, then Myers lines out to Meadows on the first pitch. Altuve also swings on the first pitch and flies out to Perez, as Skubal only threw four pitches for three outs.
Top 5th
The Tigers keep getting baserunners on as Malloy singles to right field, but Valdez gets Greene to strikeout as he's pulled after giving up three runs with 78 pitches in just over four innings. Hector Neris comes out to pitch for the Astros, and starts out with a four-pitch walk to Colt Keith, who is pinch-hitting for Ibanez. Perez strikes out after a seven pitch at-bat, then Torkelson strikes out as well.
Bottom 4th
Alvarez gets his first hit of the day on a ground ball that lands in center field, but Bregman lines out to Perez in right field for the first out. Diaz is walked after a nine pitch at-bat as we get another mound visit. Skubal stays in with runners on first and second, but he stays to get back-to-back strikeouts on Pena and Caratini, getting out of another jam.
Top 4th
Meadows starts off the top of the fourth with a single to center field, then Rogers flies out to left field. Sweeney strikes out but Meadows steals second base at the same time, but Vierling grounds out to Pena and that will end the frame.
Bottom 3rd
Astros get their first hit off Skubal as Caratini singles to left field, then Mauricio Dubon grounds to Sweeney who gets the out at second but Dubon beats the throw to first. Skubal gets Jake Meyers to strikeout on a low changeup, but Altuve hits a fly-ball single to left-center field and keeps the inning going. Minute Maid Park gets loud, but Tucker lines out to Greene as the Tigers escape their first scare of the game.
Top 3rd
Greene hits a sharp grounder back to Valdez for the first out, then Ibanez hits a line drive to right field for a double. Perez grounds out to Altuve as Ibanez moves to third, then Pena makes a great play to snag Torkelson's hit out from the air for the final out.
Bottom 2nd
Skubal's back out and gets Alex Bregman to ground out, then we get a scare as Yainer Diaz's hit gets Skubal on the right hand but Skubal still throws it to Torkelson for the out. A.J. Hinch goes to the mound but Skubal stays in the game and gets Jeremy Pena to strikeout as the second inning ends.
Top 2nd
The ride finally ends as Malloy strikes out, but the Tigers come out swinging early and take a shocking 3-0 lead against the Astros.
More singles: Vierling brings Rogers home, Tigers take 3-0 lead
Back to the top of the Tigers order with Vierling, as Valdez has struggled early. With runners on first and third, Vierling hits another single to center field as Rogers scores and the Tigers keep it rolling with three runs in the top of the second.
Sweeney keeps it going, singles to center field as Tigers take 2-0 lead early
Trey Sweeney keeps it going with another single that lands right into center field, scoring Meadows from second as the Tigers score again!
Rogers' single brings Perez home, Tigers take lead in the top of the second
Clean-up hitter Andy Ibanez flies out to center field to start off the top of the second, but it's Wenceel Perez who gets the first hit of the day on a single to right field. Torkelson walks after a seven-pitch at-bat, then Parker Meadows grounds out. Torkelson is out at second, but Meadows beats the throw at first and Perez moves to third. Jake Rogers hits a sharp single to center field to score Perez as the Tigers take an early 1-0 lead.
Bottom 1st
Now here's Tarik Skubal making his first postseason appearance on the mound. Jose Altuve swings on the first pitch but flies out to Greene. Kyle Tucker grounds out to Spencer Torkelson, then Yordan Alvarez grounds out as Skubal gets the top of the Astros batting order out even quicker.
Top 1st
Vierling grounds out to first baseman Victor Caratini on the next pitch. Justyn-Henry Malloy takes a four-pitch walk, then Riley Greene grounds into a double play as Valdez makes quick work of the first three Tigers batters.
First Pitch
The Tigers and Astros kick off the 2024 MLB postseason in this afternoon matchup. Lefty Framber Valdez matches up against lead-off hitter Matt Vierling, and the first pitch at 2:35 pm EST is a low strike.
Pregame
What seemed almost impossible over a month ago is now a reality: the Detroit Tigers have returned to the postseason, and they'll be taking on a talented veteran group in the Houston Astros in the American League Wild Card Series.
This is the Tigers first postseason appearance in a decade. They rode a wild wave of momentum to get here, going 29-13 in their final 42 games to overtake the final wild-card slot from their division-rival Minnesota Twins to sneak into the playoffs.
Meanwhile, the Astros have won two World Series since the Tigers last sniffed postseason baseball, one of them with current Tigers manager A.J. Hinch in 2017. Although many of the players since that 2017 squad are gone, there's still veterans like Alex Bregman and Jose Altuve, who were around, to go along with Kyle Tucker and Yordan Alvarez, as those two were on the 2022 champion Astros roster.
More:Tigers-Astros, Game 1 lineups: Houston gets slugger Yordan Alvarez back
They'll play all three games of the wild-card round on the road in Houston. Starting on the mound for the Tigers will be the AL Triple Crown winner in Tarik Skubal, while Astros ace Framber Valdez will look to shut down the many young Tiger bats making their first playoff appearance.
Follow along here for live updates from Detroit News contributor Kameron Goodwill.
Tigers at Astros
▶First pitch: 2:32 p.m. Tuesday, Minute Maid Park, Houston
▶TV/radio: ABC/97.1 FM
Scouting report
▶LHP Tarik Skubal (18-4, 2.39), Tigers:The presumptive American League Cy Young Award winner, fresh off securing the pitcher triple crown, will get his first taste of postseason baseball. He beat the Astros at Comerica Park in May, but in his two career starts at Minute Maid, he’s allowed three homers in 12.1 innings. The Astros’ core four (Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman, Yordan Alvarez and Kyle Tucker) are combined 9 for 35 against Skubal, with five extra-base hits and four RBIs with nine strikeouts.
▶LHP Framber Valdez (15-7, 2.91), Astros:He’s been lights-out down the stretch. The Astros are 14-2 in his last 16 starts while he’s posted a 2.19 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP. He’s also 9-2 at Minute Maid this season. He’s been tough on the Tigers over his career, as well, with a 2.49 ERA and 43 strikeouts in 47 innings in eight games. He has three exceptional secondary pitches that he throws off a 94-mph sinker: Curveball (.121 opponent average, 39.8% whiff rate), changeup (.226, 35%) and slider (.233, 38%). He has a 61.7% ground ball rate.
― Chris McCosky
