The Detroit Tigers secured a dramatic 4-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday afternoon, thanks to Justyn-Henry Malloy’s clutch eighth-inning sacrifice fly. The win marked the Tigers’ fifth consecutive triumph and propelled them closer to a postseason berth. Going into the game, the Tigers were tied with the Kansas City Royals for the second and third American League wildcard positions, holding a two-game advantage over the Minnesota Twins.

Trailing 3-2 in the eighth inning with one out, the Tigers staged a comeback as Riley Greene singled off pitcher Garrett Cleavinger and Matt Vierling drew a walk. Colt Keith then delivered an RBI single to knot the game before Malloy, the last position player on the Tigers’ bench, stepped in to pinch hit for Kerry Carpenter. Malloy’s sacrifice fly to medium center allowed Vierling to score, securing the lead for Detroit.

Pitcher Beau Brieske earned the win with two innings of solid relief, while closer Jason Foley notched his 27th save by pitching a flawless ninth inning. On the other side, Rays starter Tyler Alexander showcased an impressive performance, allowing only four hits and striking out six batters without issuing a walk. This victory improved Alexander’s record to 1-0 with a 2.00 ERA in two career outings against his former team, the Detroit Tigers, where he spent the first five seasons of his Major League Baseball career.

The Rays initially took a 2-0 lead in the third inning, with Ben Rortvedt and Taylor Walls scoring on Brandon Lowe’s two-out base hit. They extended their lead to 3-0 in the fifth inning when Walls scored on a wild pitch by Tigers pitcher Casey Mize. However, the Tigers mounted a comeback in the sixth inning with Hunter Bigge drawing a walk, followed by an RBI triple from Keith and a pinch-hit single from Carpenter, narrowing the deficit to 3-2.

Reliever Kevin Kelly continued his impressive form by pitching a perfect seventh inning, extending his scoreless streak to 23 1/3 innings across 25 appearances. The Tigers’ resilience and late-game heroics solidified their position in the race for a postseason spot, leaving fans excited for what the remainder of the season holds.