Kerry Carpenter hit two home runs, and Parker Meadows made a remarkable catch to save a home run, leading the Detroit Tigers to a 4-3 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday. This win improved the Tigers’ chances in the American League wild card race and marked their first winning season since 2016, bringing their record to 82-74. They are now tied with the Kansas City Royals and hold a half-game lead over the Minnesota Twins for the last wild card spot.
Tigers manager A.J. Hinch emphasized the need for balance, saying, “We still have a long way to go, so we’re going to stay grounded.” The Twins were set to play a doubleheader later in Boston and, if they finish with the same record as the Tigers, would hold the tiebreaker after winning the season series.
The Tigers have been performing well lately, winning 11 of their last 14 games.
Meanwhile, the Orioles, now 86-70, have lost five consecutive series and trail the New York Yankees by 5 1/2 games in the AL East with only six games remaining. However, they maintain a four-game lead over Kansas City and Detroit for the top wild card spot. Orioles manager Brandon Hyde noted the team had opportunities to win but faced unfortunate breaks.
Spencer Torkelson opened the scoring with a home run off Orioles pitcher Albert Suarez, followed by an RBI double from Trey Sweeney, giving the Tigers a 2-0 lead. Carpenter’s first home run in the third inning extended the lead to 3-0. Cedric Mullins then hit a two-run homer for Baltimore, and Jordan Westburg, back from a wrist injury, contributed an RBI double in the fifth, leveling the game at 3-3.