September 8th, 2024
Jason Beck
@beckjasonOAKLAND -- The Tigers scratched and clawed all summer to get back over .500. They’re not about to give it back now.
This is the flip side of that “win today’s game” mentality that they cited when they rode their August momentum into the American League Wild Card race. Just as they didn’t let success get them scoreboard watching and ahead of themselves, nor would they let a heartbreaking loss like Friday’s 13-inning marathon leave a hangover for Saturday.
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“Take every game day by day; I think we’re really good at that,” Spencer Torkelson said after Saturday’s 2-1 win over the A’s.
“You’ve got to practice it to be able to do it,” manager A.J. Hinch said, “and we do it every day. We will reset. Our mood, our vibe, our energy is great after wins, after losses, after walk-offs, after tough games, maybe even games we don’t play well. If you get in that mode of resetting, over 162 [games], it’s going to pay off.”
Friday’s loss dropped the Tigers to .500 for the third time in eight days. Each time, they’ve bounced back with a victory, each time by one run, which is how they’ve avoided falling back under .500 since crossing over on Aug. 26.
Thirteen times, the Tigers have stood at .500, not including Opening Day. They’re 8-5 in those ensuing games, including four straight wins.
Whatever happens in their Wild Card chase, if they can stay over for the Tigers’ first winning season since 2016, it’ll be a credit to that ability. Even if their offense feels like a roller coaster at times, their success has been steadier.
“After last night’s loss, we just forgot about it, came in today and took care of business,” said Colt Keith, whose leadoff single not only started Saturday’s seventh-inning rally but was the only hit in it.
If anything, the Tigers saw opportunity in the wake of Friday’s loss. Though the A’s outlasted them in 13 innings, they churned through relievers in the process, leaving them perilously thin for Saturday beyond Brady Basso in his first Major League start. If the Tigers could chase Basso, they could capitalize on the few fresh relievers the A’s had.
It took longer than they would’ve liked thanks to Basso’s six scoreless innings, but once lefty reliever T.J. McFarland took over in the seventh, the Tigers pounced.
Keith, who continues to look comfortable in lefty-lefty matchups, singled off a 3-1 pitch. Torkelson hit the next pitch on the ground for what looked like a forceout, but when the Tigers won their challenge that second baseman Zack Gelof never controlled the ball, they had two on and nobody out.
“Getting that overturned, it’s huge,” Hinch said. “It’s a hard play to get overturned.”
Jake Rogers’ pinch-hit walk loaded the bases, and the Tigers simply moved runners from there. Dillon Dingler’s grounder plated Keith, then Parker Meadows’ sac fly off righty Michel Otañez scored Torkelson for Meadows’ third go-ahead RBI in as many games.
It wasn’t as glamorous as Meadows’ grand slam Thursday in San Diego, or even the two-run double Friday that produced a short-lived Tigers lead in the 11th inning, but it was effective.
“We didn’t try to do too much,” Hinch said. “We got in a spot where we could hit. Rogers goes up, stays patient instead of trying to be a hero, takes his walk. Dingler gets his contact, and then they went to their 'pen.”
Likewise, a game-day adjustment to use Brenan Hanifee as an opener and hold scheduled starter Brant Hurter for cleanup batter JJ Bleday worked out, even if it wasn’t dazzling. Hurter delivered 5 1/3 innings of one-run bulk relief, just long enough to earn his fourth consecutive victory, becoming the first Tigers rookie to win in four straight appearances since Michael Fulmer in 2016.
“Just going out and having multiple innings has gotten me more comfortable,” Hurter said. “When I start, it really doesn’t affect me. It’s just how I time it out.”
By getting through the lefty-loaded heart of the A’s order a third time, Hurter set up Ricky Vanasco, Sean Guenther and Jason Foley for three innings of scoreless relief.
No hangovers here. No losing record, either.
“It’s a testament to our mindset coming in every single day,” Torkelson said. “We’re always staying in the fight.”