Playoffs! “Special” Tigers have made a remarkable run into the MLB postseason

Detroit — To steal a line from former Pistons point guard Chauncey Billups, who, by the way, was captain of a championship team in this city: “If it’s not hard, it’s not right.”

Everything the Tigers have done over the past seven weeks has been tough. Some would have thought it impossible, certainly unlikely. But as the sellout crowd of 44,435 at Comerica Park will happily attest Friday night, it was so right.

The Tigers, who were declared dead at the trade deadline eight games under .500 on Aug. 10, will play postseason baseball for the first time since 2014.

“I'm pretty overwhelmed that we've done this,” said manager AJ Hinch after celebrating on the field and addressing his beer- and champagne-soaked team in the clubhouse. “Not because of the talent. Not because of faith. But because of the opportunities. We had to do a lot and we had to do a lot day after day. And we did it.”

The festive crowd was on its feet from the seventh inning as the Tigers defeated the Chicago White Sox 4-1 and secured a spot in the American League Wild Card Series.

“I really wanted our guys to have that moment on our field,” Hinch said. “It was incredible to see the boys storming the field, the coaches hugging each other in the dugout and 45,000 people screaming.”

The win eliminated the Minnesota Twins. The Tigers will open the postseason on Tuesday at either Houston or Baltimore. The victory also relegated the White Sox to a dubious place in baseball history. It was their 121st loss of the season, surpassing the 1962 Mets in baseball ineptitude.

“Just look at where these guys were last year,” Hinch said. “Not just the guys in the big leagues, but a lot of them were in the minor leagues and worked their way here. “I was pretty blown away by this group and this organization. This is my fourth year here and we got a feel for what it's like to win last week when we passed the 81-win mark.

“But this is better because we can keep playing. Things can get even better if we continue to accumulate good days. I’m just so proud of this group.”

Subscribers: Wojo: The Detroit Tigers' improbable, incredible run leads to the playoffs

The Tigers needed a 31-11 win to get themselves into this position. And it's been a parade of heroes over the last two months.

Parker Meadows with his two home run steals – one in Seattle against Cal Raleigh and the other in Baltimore against Colton Cowser. Meadows again, with two dramatic game-winning hits: the walk-off single that beat the Yankees in the Little League Classic in Williamsport, and of course the two-out, 3-2 grand slam home run that tied San Diego at 4 :3 defeated .

Tarik Skubal, who will win the American League Cy Young Award in a month, was 6-0 during the run and posted a 1.96 ERA with 66 strikeouts and nine walks. The Tigers' entire pitching staff was outstanding, posting the lowest ERA and WHIP in baseball. He will start Game 1 of the playoffs.

“It means a lot,” he said. “We swapped the guys at the deadline and are now looking at each other. It means a lot to the guys in the clubhouse and it says a lot about the guys in the clubhouse. Hats off to everyone.”

Keider Montero, one of 12 rookies on this team, threw a “Maddux” (complete game shutout in fewer than 100 pitches) against the Rockies. Beau Brieske pitched out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam and then picked up an extra-inning win in Baltimore. Brieske and Brant Hurter also struck out 21 straight hitters against the Orioles.

Riley Greene and Kerry Carpenter with multi-homer games. Matt Vierling's Kirk Gibson-like sprint and headfirst slide across the plate contributed to Thursday's victory that pushed the Tigers to the precipice of the playoffs.

“I think we exceeded expectations,” Greene said. “It’s so much fun doing it with this group of guys.”

Greene then dragged CEO Christopher Ilitch to the middle of the clubhouse to be showered with champagne and beer like everyone else.

“It’s not safe for anyone in there,” Hinch said. “Not even the owner. He was incredibly supportive of me and our office and I will remember that our players were confident or perhaps naive enough to include him in the celebratory shower.”

Greene said: “It’s something I’ve always dreamed of. It was great because he’s part of our team too.”

On Friday it was the same all-hands performance.

Opener Brenan Hanifee (two innings) and Hurter took the Tigers through six innings, allowing only a solo home run from Zach DeLoach (to Hurter) and leaving the back of the bullpen with a 2-1 lead.

The Tigers couldn't do much against White Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet, but they knew he had pitch limitations and wouldn't throw much more than 60 pitches.

He was at 62 when he grounded out Trey Sweeney with the bases loaded to end the fourth inning.

The Tigers promptly scored two runs in the fifth. Lefty Jared Shuster led Jake Rogers and Andy Ibanez around a Meadows single. A wild pitch brought home Rogers and a sacrifice fly from Vierling plated another.

Then came the seventh. Against another left-back, Fraser Ellard, Ibanez scored a double, went to third on an error by midfielder Dominic Fletcher and scored on a double by Greene.

Vierling, who intentionally walked ahead of Greene, scored on the White Sox's third wild pitch of the game.

The Tigers were nine outs away and the crowd was ready to celebrate.

BOX SCORE: Tigers 4, White Sox 1

Will Vest got five quick outs and struck out Bryan Ramos and Korey Lee with high-octane heaters to end the eighth. As he left the pitch he received a standing ovation and applause from the fans.

Hinch entrusted the next three outs to Tyler Holton, who was the epitome of the Tigers' unselfish pitching staff. Since the beginning of July he has made 35 appearances. He opened eight games and closed ten games. He worked every inning from one to nine and beyond.

After getting three outs and receiving another standing ovation, his ledger showed just four earned runs in his final 52 innings.

The final out belonged to Jason Foley and he started the party by getting Andrew Vaughn to hit a fly ball to right. Meadows and right fielder Wenceel Perez nearly collided, but Perez held on.

“It was kind of perfect to end the game and punch our ticket to October,” Hinch said. “With an imperfect game and with guys literally trying to do anything to catch it.”

If it's not rough…

The Tigers currently hold the second wild card spot since the Royals' loss on Friday. The magic number to secure second place is two (since the Royals have the tiebreaker). The Orioles play the second wild card; the third will play against the Astros.

“I believe in these players,” Hinch said. “It starts with the players and it continues to build and there have been a lot of people who have contributed to the ongoing building. We learned a lot along the way. We were able to find players. The front office pushed. “Me and I pushed back. It's a great partnership with one goal and that's the name of the game since I've been here, everyone's goal has been to bring a winner to Detroit.

“Some may have thought that meant a winning season. We checked that box. Now it's a team that gets to the playoffs. “

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