The Detroit Tigers and host Baltimore Orioles know plenty is at stake when they meet in their series finale Sunday afternoon, even if the goals are slightly different for each team.
This will be the rubber match of the three-game series and also the home finale for the Orioles.
Baltimore (86-69) trails the first-place New York Yankees by five games in the American League East but holds the first wild-card playoff spot. The Orioles will visit New York for three games beginning Tuesday night.
Yet the Orioles could clinch a playoff spot on Sunday, so there’s another set of standings worth checking on.
“Any time you’re in that situation, obviously you want to come through,” Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson said. “It just didn’t happen (Saturday). But I was proud of the way we battled back, especially in the ninth right there, and put together a lot of good at-bats.”
There have been crucial games for weeks for the Orioles, with much of that on display Saturday. They seem to be talking more about those now.
“I just think it felt like the stakes were high and two teams really fighting to get into the postseason,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. “And you know, a lot of benches emptied and a lot of bullpen guys used, it was a heck of a game. Unfortunately, we just didn’t finish it.”
The Tigers (81-74) have won five of their last six games, keeping them in the hunt for an AL wild card. Saturday’s 6-4, 10-inning victory over the Orioles might turn out to be the difference in another week.
“A huge performance and an important win, and if (look at) character wins, this is going to be at the top,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said.
Tigers reliever Beau Brieske got Detroit out of a nasty jam in the ninth. He knew there was no room for error.
After the Orioles tied the score with two runs in the bottom of the ninth, Baltimore had a chance to win on a walk-off with runners at second and third and no outs. But the Orioles couldn’t come up with a clutch hit with three chances against Brieske.
“I wasn’t afraid of it because you’re in that situation with your backs against the wall, you’ve just got to see what you’ve got,” Brieske said. “I didn’t approach it from ‘I’m trying not to lose it.’ I’m just trying to do what I can do to the best of my ability.”
It was a harsh outcome for the Orioles given the opportunity to end the game in the ninth.
“Normally about nine times out of 10 we put together a good at-bat and get that run in,” said Henderson, who hit a game-tying, two-run double. “It just didn’t happen to go our way.”
Right-hander Albert Suarez (8-6, 3.60 ERA) will start for the Orioles on Sunday. He fell to 1-2 with a 7.24 ERA in three starts this month after allowing four runs in 3 1/3 innings in a 10-0 loss to the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday.
Since late June, Suarez has recorded only one victory at home. He has yet to face Detroit in his career.
The Tigers haven’t announced a starting pitcher for Sunday’s game.
