Tigers clinch AL wild card with 4-1 win over White Sox, ending decade-long postseason drought

DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Tigers, the hottest team in baseball the last several weeks, earned an American League wild card berth Friday night to end a decade-long postseason drought.

“This team is pretty dangerous,” Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris said. “We got a chance to make some noise in October, and we’re going to keep fighting for for the opportunity.”

Detroit clinched a spot in the playoffs with a 4-1 win over the Chicago White Sox, who set a modern major league record with their 121st loss.

The Tigers will play at top AL wild card Baltimore or AL West champion Houston in a best-of-three series starting Tuesday. They have been on a tear, winning six straight and 10 of 11 to surge into the playoffs for the first time since 2014.

Detroit was 55-63 on Aug. 10 — 10 games out of the last wild card — and then went 31-11. During that stretch, the Tigers have the lowest ERA in baseball and the largest run differential.

“It’s been a dream come true,” first baseman Spencer Torkelson said.

With two games left, the Tigers were in position for the second AL wild card, one game ahead of AL Central rival Kansas City, which also clinched a playoff spot on Friday while Minnesota was eliminated.

AL Cy Young Award favorite Tarik Skubal leads Detroit's rotation and Jason Foley has become a reliable closer in a strong bullpen. He earned his 28th save in the series opener against Chicago.

Riley Greene, an All-Star outfielder, is the team's top player in a lineup that gets timely hitting from the top to the bottom.

Torkelson, the No. 1 overall pick in 2020, was sent to the minors during the season and bounced back well enough to contribute to the team's late run.

“That’s what makes it so special, when you do win,” Torkelson said. “It’s not always going to be perfect. You’re not always going to get a hit. You’re not always going to strike the guy out. But just grinding through it and and persevering, that’s what makes it so, so special.”

Taking advantage of playing a historically bad team, Detroit broke a scoreless tie in the fifth inning of the playoff-clinching win. Jake Rogers scored when Jared Shuster was charged with a wild pitch even though the ball didn’t hit the dirt just below catcher Korey Lee’s glove.

Greene put Detroit ahead 3-1 with a double in the seventh, and Chicago helped the home team’s cause again later in the inning when Fraser Ellard threw the team’s third wild pitch of the night.

Detroit went into the season expecting to contend for a spot in the playoffs in a second full season under Harris and A.J. Hinch's fourth year as manager.

“With every player I hugged, I had a flashback to some moment of adversity they faced, or some moment where we challenged them to do something differently and all of these guys did,” Harris said on the field following the game. “They rose to the occasion and they deserve it. I’m really, really proud of them.”

The Tigers started strong, winning six of their first seven games. They had a winning record until mid-May, when the team started to slide in the standings.

They appeared to be out of pitching at the end of July when Kenta Maeda was demoted to the bullpen, Casey Mize and Reese Olson were injured and Jack Flaherty was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Each time it looked like the Tigers might rally, they would fail to sustain success and many fans in the state turned their attention to football.

Hinch got creative, rolling with a rotation of Skubal and rookie Keider Montero while relying on the bullpen to pitch entire games such as the series opener against the White Sox in front of 44,435 fans at Comerica Park.

Skubal and Montero have combined to go 11-3 since August 1, but only one other starting pitcher has won a game, and that was Brant Hurter against the Los Angeles Angels a month ago.

The Motor City's baseball team salvaged the season and revived interest, drawing big crowds after closing recent seasons in a mostly empty ballpark.

“It’s been a long time since this organization was in the playoffs and these fans deserve it,” Harris said.

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Detroit Tigers' Brenan Hanifee pitches against the Chicago White Sox during the second inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

Detroit Tigers catcher Jake Rogers, left, and relief pitcher Jason Foley celebrate after the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Members of the Detroit Tigers celebrate after the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Members of the Detroit Tigers celebrate after the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Detroit Tigers outfielder Parker Meadows celebrates after the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Detroit Tigers third baseman Matt Vierling throws out Chicago White Sox's Lenyn Sosa at first base in the seventh inning of a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

Detroit Tigers' Brenan Hanifee pitches against the Chicago White Sox during the second inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

Detroit Tigers outfielder Parker Meadows connects for a single during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Detroit Tigers' Matt Vierling hits a sacrifice fly to score Parker Meadows during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Detroit Tigers' Matt Vierling reacts after scoring during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Detroit Tigers' Andy Ibáñez reacts after reaching third during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

The Detroit Tigers celebrate after defeating the Chicago White Sox to win a wildcard spot in the Major League Baseball playoffs Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

Detroit Tigers' Matt Vierling celebrates after defeating the Chicago White Sox to get into the playoffs in a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

Tigers clinch AL wild card with 4-1 win over White Sox, ending decade-long postseason drought

Tigers clinch AL wild card with 4-1 win over White Sox, ending decade-long postseason drought

The Detroit Tigers, including Tyler Holton (87), Jace Jung (17), Matt Vierling (8), Zach McKinstry, Trey Sweeney (27) and Kerry Carpenter, celebrate after defeating the Chicago White Sox to win a wildcard spot in the major league baseball playoffs, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

DETROIT (AP) — Riley Greene hit an RBI double and the Detroit Tigers scored two runs on wild pitches in a 4-1 win over the record-breaking Chicago White Sox on Friday night, clinching a spot in the playoffs for the first time in a decade.

“Belief is a big thing,” Greene said. “We never stopped believing, and that’s what did it for us.”

Detroit completed a late-season surge to grab an American League wild card, and the White Sox earned an unwanted place in baseball history by setting a modern major league mark with 121 losses this season.

“They were still playing for something,” Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson said.

The Tigers will play at Baltimore or AL West champion Houston next week in a best-of-three Wild Card Series. They have been on a tear, winning six straight and 10 of 11 during a stunning run into the playoffs.

The White Sox broke the post-1900 record of 120 losses set by the New York Mets in 1962 during their first season. The overall record was set in 1899 by the Cleveland Spiders with a 20-134 record.

“I think the frustration began long before the number got here," Chicago interim manager Grady Sizemore said. “This was one of those things: You aren’t happy, but I don’t know if that would feel any different at 115 or 110.”

Taking advantage of playing a historically bad team, Detroit broke a scoreless tie in the fifth inning on Jake Rogers’ run when Jared Shuster was charged with a wild pitch even though the ball didn’t hit the dirt just below catcher Korey Lee’s glove. Matt Vierling followed with a sacrifice fly.

White Sox rookie Zach DeLoach hit his first homer in the sixth to pull his lowly team within a run.

Greene restored Detroit’s two-run lead with a double in the seventh and Chicago helped the home team’s cause again later in the inning when Fraser Ellard threw his club's third wild pitch of the night.

Tigers manager A.J. Hinch relied on his bullpen for the entire game, as he often has late in the season, and it worked again.

“I’m overwhelmed with joy because I get to watch a team grow up right in front of my eyes and now I get to watch this team play in October,” Hinch said.

Brenan Hanifee kept the White Sox scoreless for the first two innings, and Brant Hurter (6-1) allowed a run over four innings.

Will Vest and Tyler Holton combined to hold Chicago scoreless for 2 2/3 innings. Jason Foley got one out for his 28th save to the delight of fired-up fans, who stood and cheered for much of the night.

Shuster (2-5) allowed two runs in two innings. Ellard gave up as many runs (two) as he got outs.

After the final out, the White Sox quietly went to their clubhouse while the Tigers swarmed the field, hugging each other and posing for photos.

“It is tough watching them celebrate," Chicago starting pitcher Garrett Crochet said after throwing four scoreless innings. "That was us just a couple years ago.”

UP NEXT

Detroit had not announced a pitching plan for Saturday's game. RHP Sean Burke (1-0, 1.93 ERA) is scheduled to start for Chicago.

This story corrects Houston to AL West champion in the fifth paragraph.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Detroit Tigers catcher Jake Rogers celebrates with closer Jason Foley after defeating the Chicago White Sox to make the playoffs in a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

Detroit Tigers catcher Jake Rogers, left, and relief pitcher Jason Foley celebrate after the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Detroit Tigers outfielder Parker Meadows celebrates after the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Chicago White Sox's Zach DeLoach (31) walks through the dugout during the ninth inning of a loss to the Detroit Tigers in a baseball game Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

Members of the Detroit Tigers celebrate after the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Chicago White Sox's Garrett Crochet pitches against the Detroit Tigers during the second inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

Chicago White Sox's Garrett Crochet pitches against the Detroit Tigers during the second inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

Detroit Tigers' Andy Ibáñez doubles during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Detroit Tigers' Andy Ibáñez rounds second after a misplay by the centerfielder during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Detroit Tigers' Andy Ibáñez reacts after reaching third during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

The Detroit Tigers celebrate after defeating the Chicago White Sox to win a wildcard spot in the Major League Baseball playoffs Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

Chicago White Sox's Andrew Vaughn (25) walks off the field as the Detroit Tigers celebrate after making the playoffs after a win in a baseball game Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

Detroit Tigers' Matt Vierling celebrates after defeating the Chicago White Sox to get into the playoffs in a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

The Detroit Tigers, including Tyler Holton (87), Jace Jung (17), Matt Vierling (8), Zach McKinstry, Trey Sweeney (27) and Kerry Carpenter, celebrate after defeating the Chicago White Sox to win a wildcard spot in the major league baseball playoffs, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)