The Detroit Tigers snapped a rough stretch in dramatic fashion Friday night, thanks to a walk-off single from Spencer Torkelson that sealed a 3-2 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays at Comerica Park.
It was a bullpen-heavy affair from the start, but the Tigers' relievers delivered when it mattered most. With the game tied in the bottom of the ninth, center fielder Matt Vierling worked a walk and swiped second base with two outs. That set the stage for Torkelson, who delivered the biggest hit of the night—his only knock of the game—to bring Vierling home and end the Tigers' five-game losing streak in six outings.
Right-hander Drew Anderson was the unsung hero, tossing a season-high four scoreless innings to keep Detroit within striking distance. Closer Kenley Jansen followed with his fourth straight scoreless appearance, keeping the game locked at 2-2 and earning the win after Torkelson's heroics.
The Tigers' comeback began in the sixth inning when catcher Dillon Dingler led off with a double, advanced to third on a Colt Keith groundout, and scored on a Riley Greene double down the right-field line. That was Greene's 23rd RBI of the season, second on the team behind Dingler (28), and it extended his hitting streak to nine games—the longest active streak in the majors. He also pushed his on-base streak to 25 games, a career high and the second-longest active run in MLB.
Earlier, in the third inning, the Tigers cut Toronto's lead to 2-1 with some heads-up baserunning. After a one-out walk to shortstop Kevin McGonigle, Dingler singled to put runners on first and second. McGonigle then took third on a wild pitch from Blue Jays starter Yesavage and scored on another wild pitch during Greene's at-bat—all while Keith struck out.
Detroit had another scoring chance in the fifth when Hao-Yu Lee walked and advanced to second on Yesavage's third wild pitch of the night. McGonigle then laced a hard liner to center, but Lee misread the ball and sprinted to third, keeping the inning alive. While that rally didn't score, it set the tone for a resilient Tigers squad that refused to fold.
For a team that had been struggling, Friday's win was a much-needed spark—and a reminder that in baseball, one swing can change everything.