The MLB playoff race, especially the wild card race, continues to heat up. In the American League, the final three playoff positions are separated by just one win. The Detroit Tigers, currently on the outside looking in, have been red hot since the all-star break.
The finale of a three-game series against the Kansas City Royals saw another highly competitive, tense atmosphere in a game that went down to the wire. The Royals trotted out Alec Marsh to start the game, while the Tigers sent AL Cy Young front-runner Tarik Skubal.
The game started poorly for Skubal, who immediately had traffic on the base paths. However, no stranger to base runners, Skubal was able to escape the inning, allowing only one run. The first-inning setback proved no problem for Skubal, who left the game after five full innings with only one run and seven strikeouts.
The offense matched Skubal’s energy, as a second-inning Jake Rogers swinging bunt and a Marsh throwing error scored Zack McKinstry from second base to knot the score at one.
The top of the third started with Riley Greene demolishing a solo home run that left the bat at 111 MPH. Later in the inning, Trey Sweeney squeezed a double just inside the left field line, scoring two more to give the Tigers a 4-1 lead after three innings.
Marsh couldn’t even make it out of the third, though the Royals bullpen was able to lock down the Tigers’ offense and keep them off the board for the rest of the game. The Tigers bullpen followed Skubal’s lead with a strong six outs from Brennan Hanifee, who got tagged with an earned run in the bottom of the eighth. Will Vest ultimately saved the day, closing out the win for the Tigers.
After sweeping the Royals, the Tigers are even in the standings with the Minnesota Twins and 1.5 GB behind the Royals, who both occupy playoff spots. What will happen will happen, but the Tigers are seemingly streaking towards the playoffs.
