DETROIT (Michigan News Source) – Playing their final series of the year in Seattle against a playoff team, the Detroit Tigers showed signs of improvement for 2023 even though they lost their final three games. Detroit won nine of their last 13 games as two of their four losses came by one-run.

In the final game of the season, Seattle had to provide another walk-off win in the bottom of the ninth to take the series, 5-4. Tyler Alexander went 5.2 innings with five strikeouts but gave up four earned runs. Gregory Soto received the loss in relief and finished the year at 2-11 but had 30 saves.

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Riley Greene continued to be a force at the plate with two hits and one RBI while Jeimer Candelario also had two hits and one RBI. Javier Baez recorded the other RBI.

Seattle scored right off the bat in the bottom of the first inning with two runs. It wasn’t until the fourth inning that Detroit put runs on the board. Candelario singled to the Seattle third baseman for the first run to score Spencer Torkelson but a throwing error allowed Eric Haase to come in and tie the game at two.

Detroit then took the lead, 3-2, with one run in the fifth inning. Baez singled to right field on a 1-2 count as Brendon Davis came in. In the bottom of the sixth inning, Seattle had a two-run home run to retake the lead, 4-3. Greene came through in the seventh inning on a sharp line drive to center field as Davis was the tying run.

Detroit then went 1-2-3 in the eighth and ninth innings as the game was tied at four. Soto came in to start the bottom of the ninth inning with the game tied four. The first batter flew out but a walk and then a fielder’s choice throwing error by Soto led to two runners on base. Soto followed with a wild pitch to advance a runner to third base. A second walk by Soto in the inning loaded the bases as Ty France was the Mariner’s hero with a walk-off single to right field to end the game, 5-4.

Detroit finishes the year at 66-96 which is 11 games less than last season when they won 77 games and finished in third place in the AL Central. With new leadership and young talent, Detroit’s future is looking better.