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BALTIMORE — As the Tigers were moving forward with a young squad six weeks ago, the prospect of ending the club’s streak of seven consecutive losing seasons would’ve seemed like a lofty aspiration. Just three current Tigers — outfielder Wenceel Pérez, right-hander Keider Montero and reliever Jason Foley — were in the organization the last time Detroit didn’t have a losing season in 2016. Many others weren’t even in pro ball yet.
The Tigers’ charge into the American League Wild Card race has long since rendered a winning season as a milepost rather than an end goal. Yet as they celebrated their 81st win Saturday in comeback fashion with a 6-4 victory over the Orioles at Camden Yards, it felt fitting: The win that ended the streak showed the tenacity and togetherness that has fueled this group all season.
“It feels good. I think the fans deserve it,” said Parker Meadows, a second-round Draft pick in 2018. “I think we’ve been playing hard all year. I think we deserve it. We’re just going to keep playing our game and whatever happens, happens, but we’re going to sneak in there and just continue to have fun.”
By clawing back after a blown lead in the ninth inning to pull in front in the 10th, the Tigers gained a half-game on the Twins, who were rained out Saturday in Boston and will play a doubleheader on Sunday. Detroit will enter Sunday a half-game back of Minnesota for the third AL Wild Card spot and one game behind Kansas City for the second Wild Card berth.
All season long, the Tigers have preached competing to the 27th out. On Saturday, they went to 30. And yet, there was so much more to it, from right-hander Beau Brieske’s great escape to shortstop Trey Sweeney’s tumbling catch, then left fielder Riley Greene’s go-ahead single to restore the lead.
It was another postseason-like experience for a team that has so little of the real thing. What allows one of the youngest clubs in the Majors to bypass the heartache of a blown lead and bounce right back?
“I think everyone on this team is just so close,” said Reese Olson, who tossed three innings of one-run ball in the start. “We’re all playing for each other. We’re all on the same page in that aspect, and it just makes it easier and more fun to play. So we’re coming out every night knowing that we have each other and back each other up. It feels like a pretty good team win in every aspect of the game.”
No one in that aspect was bigger than Brieske, who relieved Foley after Gunnar Henderson’s two-run double tied the game and put the potential winning run on third with nobody out. Manager A.J. Hinch had Tyler Holton warming alongside Brieske in the bullpen but, knowing the top of the O’s order had seen Holton as an opener on Friday, called on Brieske.
“Honestly, almost like an out-of-body experience,” Brieske said. “The adrenaline was so high, I don’t know if I’ve ever had that much. It was just a tunnel directly to the plate.
“I just didn’t care what the negative outcome [might be]. I wasn’t afraid of it. When your back’s against the wall, you just have to see what you’ve got.”
Brieske got a Cedric Mullins ground ball, with second baseman Zach McKinstry looking Jackson Holliday back to third. Then he got the play of the night, if not of the Tigers’ September stretch, from Sweeney on Anthony Santander’s popup to shallow left.
“The whole outfield was super shallow because we had to get that run at the plate,” said Greene, who slid under and into Sweeney at the last second. “The ball had to be caught. I was there. He was there. He caught it. I slid, because that’s what we’re taught to do to try to avoid big damage.”
Said Sweeney: “I knew if it dropped, the game’s over. I just had to get there.”
Sweeney tumbled, the wind knocked out of him, but held on. Holliday stayed put.
Said Greene: “It definitely didn’t feel good, but we made the play. I’m not sure if he heard me, but I was like, ‘Get up! Get up!’ And then I checked on him.”
O’s manager Brandon Hyde defended the hold at third.
“You can’t tag on that,” he said, “because if the ball drops, you would need to score. So it’s a very tough read. Give them credit for making a heck of a play there.”
Once Colton Cowser flew out to left, the Tigers were out of the jam. Once Greene hit the first pitch of the 10th for an RBI single, Detroit was back in front like nothing had happened. Brieske closed it out in the bottom half.
