Tigers continue to win close games

The Detroit Tigers have not overwhelmed their opponents but are 6-1 and leading the AL Central division.

After winning five of their first six on the road, the Tigers' formula for victories also worked in Detroit on Thursday in their 2024 home opener at Comerica Park. Gio Urshela's two-out RBI double in the bottom of the eighth broke a 4-4 tie, and the Tigers held on for a 5-4 win against the Athletics.

Every game Detroit has played this season has been either a one-run contest or tied going into the ninth. The Tigers have won all three of the extra-inning games they have played, and the only two games that they have won by more than one run were in contests where they broke a tie with rallies after the regulation nine innings.

"We've been good at close games so far," manager A.J. Hinch said in his postgame news conference, parts of which were shown on Detroit television station WJBK FOX-2. "It's a dangerous way to live."

The close games have been the result of the combination of outstanding pitching (2.04 team ERA) and a lack of punch offensively (.210 batting average). 

But Detroit has had timely hitting with Urshela joining Carson Kelly, Andy Ibanez and Colt Keith in having late-inning, tie-breaking hits.

The bullpen has been almost perfect. 

When the New York Mets' Pete Alonso homered off Alex Faedo leading off the bottom of the ninth to tie the second game of Wednesday's doubleheader in New York 1-1, it broke a 25 2/3 innings scoreless streak by Tigers relievers. 

They returned to form on Friday against the Athletics with 2 2/3 innings of shutout work allowing only a hit, walking two and striking out five. They took over for starter Tarik Skubal, who gave up four earned runs and four hits with two walks and nine strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings.