We don’t know how the 2022 season will play out for the Detroit Tigers but one thing’s for sure. They started the season in style.
Jack White got the home crowd in Detroit rocking to start the game with the national anthem. Making his debut with the Tigers, Javier Baez got the Motor City faithful rocking at the end of the game.
Detroit defeated the Chicago White Sox with a walk-off single from Baez that scored another player making his Tigers debut — Austin Meadows. Only, it was so much more than that. With two outs and Meadows on third, Baez sent a ball to deep right field. In his first game with the White Sox, right fielder A.J. Pollock appeared to catch the ball after bobbling it. Ordinarily, that would be an out.
https://twitter.com/JustBBMedia/status/1512532179628302337
Only, Baez and the Tigers’ suspicions were correct. The ball did hit the wall before Pollock caught it. Therefore, it was not a flyout to right field — but a game-winning single.
Couldn't have scripted it if we tried. pic.twitter.com/Qo2DoIQkyf
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) April 8, 2022
That play brought an end to a game that had already had a frenetic final two innings. Chicago carried a 3-1 lead into the bottom of the eighth. With two outs, Miguel Cabrera came to the plate and singled into center field, scoring Robbie Grossman and Meadows to tie the game.
The definition of clutch: @MiguelCabrera pic.twitter.com/mF7o9tOYYD
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) April 8, 2022
White Sox designated hitter Andrew Vaughn was hardly phased. In the top of the ninth inning, he drilled a solo home run to give Chicago the lead.
STAY FAIR, IT WILL.#ChangeTheGame x @CaesarsSports pic.twitter.com/LZMu7toUGh
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) April 8, 2022
Not to be outdone, Eric Haase came up in the bottom of the ninth and drilled a solo home run of his own to tie it.
Burning Down the Haase pic.twitter.com/LbB7opQgBz
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) April 8, 2022
After an out from Grossman, Meadows tripled to set up Baez’s literal wall-scraper. The frenetic finish had MLB fans buzzing on Twitter.
White Sox just lost to the Tigers by 6 inches.
— Eric Ball (@EBall_BR) April 8, 2022
LIGHTS OUT AT COMERICA! JAVIER BAEZ WALKS OFF THE WHITE SOX! TIGERS WIN! WELCOME TO 2022!
— Chris Castellani (@Castellani2014) April 8, 2022
That’s a hell of a welcome to Detroit… Baez walkoff set up by a Meadows triple. This team will be fun to watch https://t.co/QjZnJtEK1C
— Luke Edwards (@ledwardssports) April 8, 2022
I could watch this for hours. This city needed this. Go Tigers https://t.co/rYJf2rAUUj
— Andrew Hammett (@Hammett313) April 8, 2022
I’m not lying when I say I’ll remember this moment forever. I know it’s the first game of the season, I know we could absolutely crumble and lose 100 games. But the final couple innings were DAMN GOOD baseball. This felt like a World Series game. ✨Pure magic. ✨ #DetroitRoots https://t.co/KWsRpXAN9d
— MABEL IS ONE. MABEL IS ALL. (@towerm) April 8, 2022
Javier Baez walks it off for the Tigers.
That. Was. Wild.
— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) April 8, 2022
Javy Báez walk off. It hit the wall. What a weird and wild game.
Ballgame. Tigers 5, White Sox 4.
We get to do this 161 more times.
— Cody Stavenhagen (@CodyStavenhagen) April 8, 2022
If the Tigers play 161 more games like that, we can only hope that their fans have strong hearts.
