'We never give up': Tigers rally past Rays, slice magic number to 2

DETROIT — Manager AJ Hinch hasn't really let his hair down much during this mind-blowing march toward the playoffs. But he came pretty close Thursday after Jason Foley struck out Jose Siri to secure the Tigers' dramatic 4-3 win and series sweep of the Tampa Bay Rays.

"Just a huge win for us," Hinch said. "Especially how the game started and where we are in the season. We know what's at stake. This is an unbelievable experience and we don't want it to stop. It doesn't have to stop if we can keep playing this way."

It was the Tigers' fifth straight win and it shrunk their magic number to clinch a wild-card spot to two. And pending the outcome of the Twins-Marlins game Thursday night, it could be down to one and they could be popping corks Friday night.

"I know what it feels like to accomplish something," said Hinch, who managed the Astros to a World Series title in 2017. "And I want so desperately for these guys to get to taste it. We're getting closer and closer by the day."

The Tigers (85-74) have gone 30-11 since Aug. 11. And all the elements, all the characteristics of this late-season rampage were on display Thursday. It was their 36th comeback win and like so many of the others, it was a full-roster effort.

"Yeah, it was kind of on par for us," said rookie Colt Keith, who had the two biggest swings in the game. "We love to grind the whole game, grind out at-bats and play to the end. We've done it so many times. I love that about us. We never give up. AJ always says, play the whole game.

"This was a good win for us, especially in the situation we're in."

The Tigers were completely stymied by old friend Tyler Alexander for five innings and fell into a 3-0 hole. The crowd of 27,867 was dying for something to yell about.

"We were just not finding anything early," Hinch said. "We just needed something positive to happen."

Enter Keith. Right-handed reliever Hunter Bigge got the first two outs in the sixth inning and Matt Vierling, who manages to put his versatile fingerprints on most wins, drew a walk. Keith, who had two unpleasant at-bats against Alexander, ripped a triple into the corner in right and Vierling hustled around to score.

That's when Hinch started pulling strings. He sent up Kerry Carpenter to pinch-hit for Spencer Torkelson. Carpenter responded with an RBI single to make it a 3-2 game and bring the crowd right back into it.

"Just a selfless at-bat," catcher Jake Rogers said. "That's what we kept doing, stringing selfless at-bats together."

Hinch was wary of the four left-handed relievers in the Rays' bullpen. He had to be judicious when he played his lefty cards and he also had to make sure he had a right-handed bat available late in the game. He played lefty Carpenter at exactly the right time in the sixth.

In the seventh inning, the Rays went to right-hander Kevin Kelly, who, with his funky arm angle, is tough on right-handed hitters. Hinch used left-handed hitters Zach McKinstry (for Rogers) and Jace Jung (for Andy Ibanez). Both hitters were retired, but with the left-hander Garrett Cleavinger warming for the eighth, Hinch saved his last remaining right-handed weapon — Justyn-Henry Malloy.

"I've started him against almost every left-hander since he got called up," Hinch said. "We talked this morning about them having four lefties in the pen and I was going to wait for him to pinch-hit late against one of them. And he buys in. He doesn't pout, doesn't wonder why he's not playing.

"He had a specific role to prepare for."

The eighth inning started with a clutch lefty-on-lefty at-bat by Riley Greene, ripping a single. He aggressively took second on a ball in the dirt. After Vierling drew another walk, Keith delivered again, ripping a single to center to score Greene.

"I knew he was going to throw a sinker in and try to get me to roll over into a double play," Keith said. "So I really wanted to stay inside of it. That was my plan. He threw a sinker in and I checked my swing. The next one was right there on the inner half and I was able to stay inside it."

Hinch was impressed with the maturity of Keith's at-bat.

"A lot of times guys want to play hero in different ways," he said. "They will try to launch and go pull-side homer. But sometimes a single is enough."

Vierling, who played three positions in the game, including first base for the first time in two years, made the base running play of the game. He went first to third on Keith's single, despite the ball going to Siri in center. Siri has one of the best throwing arms in the game and Vierling beat him twice in the inning.

"He always finds a way to contribute to a win," Hinch said. "That was a big at-bat drawing a walk. Again, trying to play hero is the wrong outcome. Keep the line moving."

That set the stage for Malloy. He came in cold off the bench and calmly lofted a fly ball to center deep enough for Vierling to tag, challenge Siri and score from third with the winning run.

"It's amazing," Carpenter said. "What he did off the bench against Cleavinger is way better than people will ever give him credit for. That guy (Cleavinger) is a stud. It's just so impressive to watch these young guys put together at-bats."

Keep in mind, it was Carpenter who Malloy pinch-hit for. Carpenter is carrying a team-best .931 OPS. He has 17 homers. And there he was, being Malloy's biggest fan at that moment. Among the many characteristics that define this Tigers team, a lack of ego is high among them.

"I think it's always been that way," Carpenter said. "I thought about that recently, how there is no ego on this team. Tork gets pinch-hit for. I get pinch-hit for. Anybody and everybody can, whatever the matchup says. It's impressive that guys coming off the bench are producing as well as they are.

"Maybe if there wasn't so much success off the bench they wouldn't do it so much, but it's pretty impressive. I have a bunch of confidence in J-Hen and everybody else. Everybody knows we can get the job done."

The Tigers were built to be a collective and the all-hands-on-deck spirit has been its driving force. Hinch emptied his entire bench by the eighth inning.

Casey Mize pitched two innings of relief Thursday. It was his first-ever relief appearance. He allowed a run but he struck out the final three batters he faced in the sixth.

Foley, whom Hinch sat down on Wednesday night so rookie Jackson Jobe could make his debut, was pumping 100-mph gas in the ninth to earn his 27th save.

Vierling started in left and then moved to third base and then to first base. Wenceel Perez started in right field, moved to left and finished back in right. Ibanez started at third and ended at first. Carpenter and Malloy each played in the outfield after they pinch-hit.

The Tigers are truly the sum of their parts.

"Getting to the park, there is a renewed energy every single day because of what is going on," Hinch said. "Because of what we think we can accomplish. Whether that's magic, whether that's momentum, whether that's mojo or vibe — whatever, we love it and we want more of it."

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