Baez Bomb and Boy in the Bubble: Tigers Force Game 5 with Grit and Heart
For one afternoon, I really was the boy in the bubble — no scores, no spoilers, just me trying to hold onto hope for one more Tigers game. It was one of those classic Michigan fall days — a touch cool, bright sunshine, not a cloud in the sky. The Tigers were scheduled for a 3 p.m. playoff start at Comerica Park, making it impossible for many people to attend, let alone watch the first half of the game. So, I had to navigate my afternoon to find a way around work and another event: my son’s football game.
Hey, this wasn’t just another playoff game. It was a gut-check moment, a test of belief for a team that’s teased us all year. After a lifeless performance the day before, it felt like the Tigers were on the brink — one loss away from another long winter of “what ifs.” But instead, they roared back to life. They scored nine runs, broke out of their slump, and turned what looked like a quiet exit into a drama-filled, season-saving win.
Staying in the Bubble
I didn’t see it live.
I left for my son’s game after watching the first two innings on my other work monitor. I record all games on my streaming service, so I figured I’d catch up later. I wanted to stay in the bubble — no updates, no texts, no spoilers. I got to the game around 3:50 p.m. and promptly told everyone around me, “Hey, don’t say a word, I’m recording it.” They all laughed, but they played along. That’s how committed I was. Maybe it’s obnoxious to ask people to keep it under wraps, but hey, you have to do what you have to do.
It wasn’t easy. Some boys were goofing around behind the stands, and one of them blurted out something about Javy Báez, but I couldn’t tell whether it was good or bad. I just smiled and pretended I didn’t hear it. When I got home, I cued up the DVR, skipped to the third inning, ignored all the texts I received, and watched the whole comeback unfold like it was live.
A Game of Moments
This game had everything. The Mariners jumped out to a 3-0 lead, and it looked bleak. But the Tigers clawed back, one at-bat at a time.
In the fifth inning, Dillon Dingler’s RBI double got Detroit on the board. Jahmai Jones followed with another double to make it 3–2, and Báez — the man everyone’s been waiting to see come alive — drove in the tying run with a single to left. Just like that, the game was tied, and you could see and feel, even on TV, that the energy in Comerica Park shifted.
Then came the sixth inning. Riley Greene blasted a 454-foot homer to right-center — the hardest-hit ball of the game at 111.9 mph off the bat — giving Detroit a 4–3 lead. A few batters later, Zach McKinstry (3 hits) added an RBI single, and Báez capped the rally with a two-run rocket to left. His first postseason homer since 2018, and his best playoff RBI game of his career — pure redemption.
By the seventh, Gleyber Torres added a solo shot to right to make it 8–3, and Comerica Park was rocking. Fans who’d braved the early start got the payoff of the season — a moment worth waiting for.
The Tigers added one more run in the 8th inning, and just like that, they secured a must-win 9-3 victory and a chance to win the series in Seattle.
The Unsung Heros: Kyle Finnegan and Troy Melton
While the offense was the story, two pitchers held down the fort.
When Tyler Holton loaded the bases in the fifth with no outs, Hinch didn’t hesitate — he called on Kyle Finnegan, who immediately induced a double play and limited the damage. That sequence was the turning point. It kept the Tigers close enough to strike back, and strike back they did.
Later, rookie Troy Melton quietly stole the show on the mound. The 24-year-old right-hander tossed three scoreless innings in relief, shutting down the Mariners and buying time for Detroit’s bats to wake up.
Something is refreshing about Melton — He’s carefree, confident, and clearly unfazed by the moment. His work out of the bullpen might have been the difference between a comeback and a collapse. These kinds of outings build confidence, and Melton’s calm presence could make him a big part of Detroit’s pitching core going forward.
Speaking of Holton, he and the other pitchers whose last names start with “H” —Brenan Hanifee and Grant Hurter —need to be better. As a fan, it hasn’t been very comforting when any of the three enter the game.
What’s Next
Now, it all comes down to Game 5 in Seattle. The Tigers send their ace, Tarik Skubal, to the mound — 0–3 against the Mariners this year, but he will be as locked in and electric as ever. The Mariners will be desperate, that crowd will be deafening, and the stakes couldn’t be higher.
If the Tigers win, they’ll face the Toronto Blue Jays in the ALCS — a throwback matchup that feels straight out of the 1980s, when Trammell, Whitaker, and Morris ruled Tiger Town.
It’s been 41 years since the 1984 World Series, and while we’re not there yet, yesterday’s win fueled belief that this team just might hang in there long enough to give it a run.
Final Thoughts
My effort to stay in the bubble was worth it. Maybe it’s just my way of keeping the game pure — living those moments in real time without anyone spoiling the story. People probably think I’m nuts for asking them to keep quiet, but I couldn’t care less.
There’s something about baseball that makes you want to hold on to every pitch, every sound, every feeling. Yesterday reminded me why I do it — because when that magic happens, when a team fights back the way the Tigers did, you want to experience it as if it’s unfolding for the first time — even when the rest of the city is already celebrating.
Have you ever tried to stay in the bubble for a big game? How did it work out, and how do you handle it? Share your comments or join the discussion in The Tiger Cage.
I missed this game due to work travel overseas. So fired up to wake up an see a Tigers W! Game 5 and ready to move to ALCS!
Ugh, too bad you missed it! Hopefully you’ll get to watch Skubal mow ’em down on Friday evening. Thanks for your comment and for visiting mittensportstalk.com!