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CLEVELAND – The ball took off like a meteor.

Screams across the sky. Cutting through the drama. Transporting an entire city. Leaving a trail of screams and joy – pure joy for the Detroit Tigers.

“I passed out,” Tigers outfielder Riley Greene said. “I screamed – we all screamed.”

Devil, all of Detroit screamed Monday after Kerry Carpenter hit a majestic three-run home run off Emmanuel Clase – the best closer in baseball – as the Tigers earned a dramatic, heartbreaking 3-0 win over Cleveland in Game 2 of the ALDS.

“I was in the weight room doing my post-throwing stuff,” said left-handed starter Tarik Skubal, who was once again simply brilliant, throwing seven innings of shutout ball and setting the stage for this moment. “I was down and I think that was the fastest time I've ever done in my life. What a swing from a really good pitcher, the best closer in the game. That was incredible to see.”

If this Tigers' improbable advance to the postseason wasn't enough, if the dramatic win over Houston in an AL wild-card series wasn't enough, then this home run was just as improbable considering it's the first Clase ever hit in the postseason, and only the third this season.

“That might have been a turning point in his life,” Greene said.

Indeed.

And the magnitude of this moment cannot be overstated.

LISTEN TO: Dan Dickerson's call for Kerry Carpenter's go-ahead home run for the Tigers is electrifying

A magical journey

Think about Carpenter’s journey to this moment.

Here was a 27-year-old drafted in the 19th round in 2019 (kudos to Matt Zmuda, the area scout who signed him).

Here was a guy who was failing in the minor leagues until he made a crucial change.

Here was a guy who missed almost half of this season with a back problem.

And here was a guy who is a team-first player in every sense of the word. He started that game on the bench, but he didn't complain, he didn't act like an idiot – he just hit the biggest home run of his life.

“I knew it was over and it was just an incredible feeling to move forward for this team because our pitchers keep us in these games like crazy,” Carpenter said. “It’s great for our pitching staff to come through, especially Skubal. These guys just give it their all for us and for them to come through in a shutout is incredible. So those were kind of my feelings. I wanted to celebrate with everyone.”

Clase threw three straight cutters and then three straight sliders – the last of which was smashed by Carpenter.

“I just committed to a certain zone and then my instincts took over,” Carpenter said.

It was monumental for Carpenter, but it represents a huge opportunity for the Tigers. This puts them in a great position as they play two home games at Comerica Park.

“I can’t say enough about Skubal,” Carpenter said. “It's unbelievable. He is our leader. Every inning he goes out there, even when he got in trouble today, no one in our dugout thought he wasn't going to get out of there.”

Think about it.

After the biggest moment of his life, Carpenter focused on Skubal.

“He’s incredible,” Carpenter said. “And the way he fires up our team and the way he comes out and executes and gets ground balls when he needs it and gets strikeouts when he needs it, he's fun to watch and I am I'm glad he's on my team and he's my leader.

SHAWN WINDSOR: Do you think the history of the Detroit Tigers can't get any better? They just proved you wrong. Again.

Stars are perfectly aligned

So many things aligned perfectly to prepare for this moment.

And it all started with the way Tigers manager AJ Hinch constructed his lineup.

Hinch started Justyn-Henry Malloy as the designated hitter and hit him as a weapon against Matthew Boyd, a left-hander. Malloy responded with a 2-for-3 win.

But he held a spot in the lineup specifically for Carpenter.

Carpenter sat on the bench the entire time.

Waiting for his time.

The plan from the start was to use Carpenter for Malloy at the right time.

Think about what is being said about Carpenter, let alone this team, that a man with such talent would be willing to take on this type of role.

But it's not just Carpenter. Hinch did everything right in this amazing run.

And the lesson can be applied to anyone. How a player's wishes are put aside for the good of the team – that is one of the strengths of this team.

“I feel like the moment is never too big for him,” Greene said. “He always gave it his all and I feel like he’s always there to help us win.”

While this game was a dramatic pitching battle with several big defensive plays, Carpenter waited. He didn't go to the batting cages to throw extra at-bats because he felt ready.

“We've missed him for a long time this year, and obviously he's the focal point of our offense,” Hinch said. “When it comes to right-hand pitching, he usually bats second, third or fourth. When he doesn't, he wears his helmet practically every inning and holds his bat in his hand until we decide to let him go. Everyone knows it. It's no secret that he's a big threat and he's prepared and he's an extremely balanced individual, which allows him to stay grounded in everything we ask of him. We missed him very much throughout the year. And that's an example, and it's easy today to say why. But he brings so many more things to the table that have an incredible impact on our team.”

But there were several things that brought about this moment.

With two outs in the ninth, catcher Jake Rogers hit a single to left.

BREED WINNER: The Detroit Tigers' epic run isn't a flash in the pan: The organization is set up for long-term success

Then Trey Sweeney — a rookie the Tigers added at the trade deadline — hit a single to center.

“You have to let the guys do something in front of you to give him that chance,” Hinch said. “And we had three two-out hits against the best closer in baseball. “I'm really happy that we finally found a way to break through with some big hits.”

If these two don't get along, Carpenter can't even get a hit in the ninth.

“I wanted a chance,” Carpenter said. “And those guys made great swings because there probably aren't many innings this year where Clase has given up two hits in an inning, let alone three.”

So the Tigers' magical ride continues.

Back to Detroit.

“We have two games in hand now,” Hinch said. “We know it will be electric. We know Detroit has been waiting a long time for a playoff game. We’ll have a few of them and have a chance to take control of this series.”

HIGHLIGHT REEL: Tarik Skubal missed Kerry Carpenter's game-winning HR for the Tigers in Game 2 of ALDS

The boys come home.

And this amazing, unlikely, magical journey continues. It's wild and fast and exciting.

Like riding on a meteor.

Contact Jeff Seidel: [email protected]. Follow him on X @seideljeff. To read his latest columns, go to freep.com/sports/jeff-seidel.

On By John Fenwick

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