DETROIT — It legitimately felt, looking at the schedule back in April, that these last two series with the White Sox in September had a chance to be very meaningful. And they are.
For the White Sox, who came in three games behind Cleveland for the top spot in the Central Division.
“We should be jealous that they’re playing for something,” manager AJ Hinch said before the Tigers stopped a four-game losing streak and halted the White Sox momentum with a 3-2, 10-inning win at Comerica Park Friday. “Our guys should feel the urgency that goes with playing meaningful September baseball. It’s a great competition regardless of what’s at stake for one team or another.
“But as a general concept, we should be jealous.”
The Tigers played with some urgency Friday, at times reckless urgency. But after Alex Lange struck out the side and stranded the free runner at second base in the top of the 10th, Victor Reyes hit a sacrifice fly to center field off White Sox closer Liam Hendriks to plate Ryan Kreidler with the winner.
Hendriks' throwing error on a sacrifice bunt by Willi Castro had set the table.
Hinch gathered the team before the game and told them they were officially out of playoff contention. They had been mathematically eliminated on Tuesday. He had the same meeting last season when the Tigers were eliminated.
The tone of his address Friday, as you might expect given the rapid deterioration this season, was darker, more pointed.
“I just wanted them to know, we have every excuse in the book,” he said. “Whether it comes to using 17 different starting pitchers and 51 players, having a bunch of (big league) debuts, little bad luck here, little bad luck there. But we also didn’t play well. It’s all encompassing why we are where we are.
“But it doesn’t have to stay that way.”
Enough is enough. That was the essence of Hinch's message. It's time for real accountability and, he said, that starts at the top.
“We’ve got to figure out a better way of doing things and squeezing more out of our guys,” he said. “And it starts with me. I don’t feel very good about the season at all. I feel responsible. I’m in charge of everything that happens on the field and we haven’t been very good.
“It starts with me, looking at myself. It starts with the coaches and players. If we want it to be different, we’re going to have to do something different.”
Among the few encouraging developments this season has been the maturation of right-hander Matt Manning. He put together one of his best outings of the season against a White Sox team that roughed him up a month ago.
He essentially dominated hitters with a two-pitch mix — four-seam fastballs and sliders — throwing seven scoreless innings, allowing just three hits and no walks.
He showed some fight, too. With the Tigers up 1-0 in the sixth, he pitched around a Javier Baez throwing error. Elvis Andrus, who hit two of the three off Manning, reached on the error, stole second and got to third on a flyout by Yoan Moncada.
With two outs and first base open, Hinch let Manning go after the ever-dangerous Jose Abreu, even though it was the third time through the order Manning went after him with fastballs and got him to fly out to center.
Manning had to bow his neck again in the seventh. This time with a 2-0 lead, center fielder Riley Greene misread a fly ball by Eloy Jimenez. He broke back on a shallow fly ball and it dropped for a leadoff double.
No problem. Manning dispatched Gavin Sheets, Andrew Vaughn and then, with a 97-mph heater on his 87th and final pitch of the night, AJ Pollock.
Impressive work. But the 2-0 lead didn't hold.
Abreu got redemption, ripping a two-out, two-run double into the left-field corner off reliever Joe Jimenez, scoring Josh Harrison and Andrus. All three hits were past third baseman Ryan Kreidler. The Andrus ball was the only one he got a glove on. It was initially scored an error but changed to a hit — Andrus' third.
The runs were the first allowed by Jimenez in 11 outings.
It was a wild night for Baez. He made two throwing errors but he also reached base all four times with a single, walk, triple and a double. He stole a base and scored a run. His double, a hustle double, led off the bottom of the eighth.
He went to third on a ground out but got greedy. Spencer Torkelson, who singled in a run in the first inning, struck out and the ball caromed off catcher Yasmani Grandal's shin guard.
Baez broke for home. The ball went directly to pitcher Joe Kelly who tagged Baez out. Strikeout, 1-2 double-play if you like exotic scoring.
Jonathan Schoop had a big night at the plate with a double and his 10th home run.
On Sept. 16 last year, the Tigers were 70-77 and in the midst of the fourth winning month. They went into the game Friday 54-89, a season-low 35 games under .500. Wasn’t supposed to be this way.
“It’s going to be a busy October,” Hinch said. “With a lot of reflection. More importantly, it’s the takeaways on how to get it better. I won’t dwell too much on this season because I don’t want to relive this season. It’s not been all bad. But it’s been disappointing.
“We’re not good enough yet and it starts with me. I promised the players and I promise anybody I talk to, we’re going to figure out how to get this right.”
