Detroit – Zach McKinstry was triumphantly pumping his fists in the clubhouse after the Tigers pulled off an improbable 11-9, 10-inning victory over NL-leading Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday at Comerica Park.
How ridiculous is that? The Dodgers were 47-0 this season when they led after eight innings and entered the ninth with a 9-4 lead.
“Huh,” said McKinstry. “Cool. Now they’re 47-1.”
What’s more surprising is the 40,196 people who tuned in, most of them Dodgers fans, of course.
“It’s amazing,” said Gio Urshela, who gave up the winning run in the bottom of the 10th off reliever Yohan Ramirez. “We were fighting every game today. Go to the top of the ninth in the bottom of the fifth – amazing. The whole team put something into winning this game.”
Let’s work back here. The Tigers, after a five-run blast in the bottom of the ninth by rookie Colt Keith’s two-run homer, were back in the soup in the top of the 10th. loaded the bases against Will Vest’s single, and the ever-dangerous Freddy Freeman was at the plate.
BOX SCORE: Tigers 11, Dodgers 9, 10 innings
MLB STANDINGS
“First, Zach said, if he hits him, I’m going to get to the bag (for a second),” second baseman Keith said. “I told him I would.”
Freeman hit the ball up the middle, only to land on the short side of second base. McKinstry put it on his knees and did a trick that slid into the bag. Keith flipped the book and fired Urshela at first to complete the double play.
“I was just thinking, don’t let it go,” McKinstry said. “I kind of put my body on the line there and I had a good flip and we turned it over. That was an amazing play.”
The energy and emotion from the Tigers players was palpable, electric.
“That was one of the best times I’ve ever had,” said Keith, who had a game full of good times on Saturday.
“Colt is in such a good place mentally and physically and most importantly, emotionally,” Tigers manager AJ Hinch said. “I know from the beginning he felt like he belonged. But you still have to prove it to the boys and you have to prove it to the fans and you have to prove yourself sometimes.”
He checked every box, especially in the ninth and 10th innings of this one.
The Tigers looked dead in the water when they came to bat in the bottom of the ninth. Five runs down and two batters out. Mark Canha reported a sore arm after his hit in the second game. Shortstop Javier Báez sprained his back again and was pulled in the fifth inning.
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Both were expected to test Saturday night.
“We’re a scrappy team,” Keith said. “We’ve had a lot of 19 come-from-back wins this year. We will come back and at least give ourselves a chance. That’s what we did. We didn’t give up. Down 9-4, I felt like there was no change in the hole.
Matt Vierling ripped Ricky Vanasco’s double to make it 9-6. That forced Dodgers manager Dave Roberts to bring in closer Evan Phillips for the second day in a row.
Carson Kelly, who launched a mind-boggling 804 feet of fly balls to center field earlier in the game, hit an RBI single to left field – 9-7.
Then with two outs, Keith, who had doubled in two runs in the second inning, snuck the first baseman in and out of the plate, and threw it out. in the right field. His ninth home run of the year tied the score.
Keith said: “We said he was a first baseman like 70% of the time. “So I told (hitting coach) Michael Brdar I’d pull it if he threw me. He threw me in and I was able to get it in the air.”
The ball flew 364 feet and landed in the short bushes over the wall in right field.
“I don’t know how to comment on this game other than it’s an amazing feeling to see the guys happy in the clubhouse,” Hinch said. “What a comeback.”
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By the end of the game, Hinch had used every player on his bench, along with five tackles. Ryan Vilade ended up playing three positions, right field, first base and left field. It was supposed to be a day off for Urhela.
“I’m glad I didn’t give it to him,” Hinch said.
Keith over his last 11 games is hitting .410 with two doubles, two triples, five home runs and 13 RBIs.
“It’s great to see them,” Urhela said. “Everyone knows how he was in the first two months of the season. He has been working very hard and I am very happy that he is seeing all the results. I feel good to him.”
For Keith, it was less about his day than the team’s accomplishments. He was beating himself up after that.
“Honestly, that was one of the best times I’ve ever had,” he said. “Playing for the Dodgers. They obviously have billion dollar players and can beat them and guys here. It was great.”
Keith, a left-hander, finished the day with three hits, to go along with four RBIs. Two hits were against left-handed pitchers. His two-run home run in the second inning was a grounder off Dodgers lefty Justin Wrobleski. He sat on it and drove it into left field – another testament to his maturity and ease in the batter’s box.
“Each of these experiences will make him more determined,” Hinch said. “And he’s never satisfied. This guy can go out and do what he did today and he’s going to talk about that at-bat he didn’t like. I am a perfectionist by nature and a grinder by nature.
“That’s a good feature.”
There was one last moment of joy on Saturday. Vilade, just 25 years old, has played 696 games in the minor leagues. He reached the majors with Colorado for three games in 2021 and was playing in his sixth game with the Tigers. And in his 22nd appearance over that four-year span, he finally smashed his first major league homer in the fifth inning.
“It’s special,” he said. “Just a great moment. I’ll never forget it. But this game, though. Five down at nine, tie it, Colt, Gio big homers. It’s just a special day.”
Wenceel Perez followed with his fourth homer of the season.
“I didn’t really feel it,” Vilade said of the ball from his champion. “It was a once-in-a-lifetime swing. I can’t really explain it. I’ve been waiting for that moment for a long time.”
Hinch was asked where the win ranked among his greatest moments with the Tigers.
“I don’t remember much,” he said with a laugh. “There have been some great wins but this will be up there. You can never go crazy after a win, but you can be more happy after a win like today.”
Chris.McCosky@detroitnews.com
@cmccosky
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