Detroit Tigers vs. Chicago White Sox: Playoff appearance and gaining momentum!

I saw something posted online today and I'm paraphrasing: “If you had told me in the spring that the Tigers would be starting Brenan Hanifee on a night where they could clinch a playoff spot, I would have “You didn't believe it.”

Well, here we are. The last playoff game with the Tigers was in 2014, and the last time they even clinched a postseason berth was in 2016. But in 2024, after being sellers at the trade deadline after having the most unorthodox pitching -Strategy of the world put together after… The chance of getting into the playoffs at the beginning of August is 0.2%. And here we are again. Win and you're in.

Over 44,000 people filled Comerica Park on a perfect Friday night to watch the Tigers defeat the White Sox 4-1. A wild card was unlikely to be theirs after they were eight games under .500 well into August.

Hanifee actually got the start, his third such “opening” appearance this season. Most of his appearances so far this season have come in the sixth and seventh innings, often over multiple innings. It features a sinker and a four-seater that can reach into the high 90s. But the bulk of the innings tonight were scheduled for Brant Hurter, who has consistently gone about five innings, whether in the starting or bulk guy role, and has generally been very good in both cases.

Earlier this week, White Sox manager Grady Sizemore made it clear that he would change his starting rotation to have lefty Garrett Crochet start in the series opener in Detroit. It was a tale of two pitchers: before the All-Star break, he had a 3.02 ERA and a sterling 0.950 WHIP; After that, it was an ERA of 5.71 and an abysmal WHIP of 1.414. The White Sox also limited his innings in the second half of the season, so he wouldn't get very far this season.

Hanifee started and pitched two scoreless innings, giving up a double in the first that would have been a triple had a fan along the right field line not touched him; Hurter started the third. Crochet also had some good looking stuff early in the game, reaching speeds of 99 miles per hour in his four-seater.

The Tigers' first real threat took shape in the fourth: Riley Greene singled and Wenceel Pérez got two outs on an error, putting runners on first and second. Spencer Torkelson walked to load the bases, but Trey Sweeney grounded out to shortstop on a very close play.

Crochet walked after fourth left-hander Jared Shuster was brought in, and a walk-single-walk sequence loaded the bases with no outs. A passed ball scored from third down by Jake Rogers, and a sacrifice throw from Matt Vierling added another goal to make it 2-0.

That sacrifice fly moved Andy Ibáñez to third with one out, but unfortunately Greene and Justyn-Henry Malloy both struck out, putting Ibáñez out of action.

Meanwhile, Hurter continued to roll and mow his way through the White Sox until Zach DeLoach — and if you think of that guy when you hear or read his name, you're not alone — hit his first career home run with two outs The sixth reduced the lead to 2:1.

Will Vest took over for Hurter at the start of the seventh period and he was his usual starter. What a guy, this Will Vest.

With one out in the seventh, Ibáñez hit a deep fly ball to center that scored; It was bobbled by Dominic Fletcher and in the end Ibáñez was in third place. Vierling was intentionally walked (at 3-1; very strange) to bring Greene to the plate with runners on the corners; He shot a double shot from the wall straight into the middle, giving Ibáñez a 3-1 lead.

A wild pitch was shot into the dirt, bouncing off the catcher's mask and into the White Sox dugout; Vierling scored, Greene took third and the score was 4-1. Reliever Fraser Ellard's control issues continued when Malloy walked to put runners on the corners, still with one out, but Pérez popped out and Torkelson's line drive scorcher to third was off the third batter of the frame is intercepted.

Vest stood to face two right-handers in the eighth, striking out both of them and leaving things to the lone Tyler Holton, who struck out Fletcher and was looking for the third out.

Holton started the ninth and had Miguel Vargas hit easily in four pitches. He induced a grounder to shortstop to force Vargas to second, then did it again to move DeLoach to second.

Two outs. Ninth inning. The playoff spot is so close you can taste it.

It's been a long time, long Time, Tiger fans. They have suffered from renovations. You've seen a lot of miserable plays on the field. You felt the breeze as another batsman flailed helplessly and struck out.

Jason Foley was brought into the game. On the second pitch, Andrew Vaughn lifted a fly ball to right; Parker Meadows and Pérez collided, but Pérez kept the ball for the third time.

The Tigers are in the playoffs.

I bless you guys.

Box score: Tigers 4, White Sox 1

Notes and the like

• Did you know that Andy Ibáñez and Kenta Maeda are the only Tigers on the active roster who are over 30? I didn't do it. But now I do, and so do you.
• I've been reading a lot of children's books lately. Can you say it?
• Apparently Tigers shortstop Trey Sweeney is a cousin of actor Sydney Sweeney, who was in attendance at the stadium tonight.
• Something, something, White Sox 121 losses, something, something.
• Happy 81st birthday to musician and radio host Randy Bachman. You may know him best from his work with Guess Who and Bachman-Turner Overdrive, but if you've listened to CBC Radio on Saturday nights for many years, you've heard that he hosts Randy's Vinyl Tap. His extensive knowledge of rock music, the people he's known for years…what a great show. He compiled some of these stories into a fantastic book a few years ago; I can recommend.