DETROIT (Michigan News Source) – Moving their record to 84-74, 10 games above .500, Detroit’s post-season dreams are closer than ever. Six pitchers combined to allow just one earned Tampa Bay run for a 7-1 victory as Sean Guenther earned the win. The pitching staff combined for seven strikeouts and seven hits.

Parker Meadows and Spencer Torkelson each had a home run, with Detroit posting 13 hits and four being extra base hits. Meadows went 3-of-5 with one RBI and two runs scored. Torkelson added three RBI on two hits.

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Torkelson said of how well Detroit has been doing, “It is hard to put this into words – it is awesome. It has been an incredible couple of weeks.”

Detroit opened the game with two runs in the bottom of the first inning as Meadows homered and Wenceel Perez added a RBI single. Tampa Bay cut the lead to one in the second inning, but Torkelson had three RBI in two innings, a two-run homer in the sixth, and a RBI double in the eighth to put the Tigers up 6-1. One more run came in the eighth for the 7-1 win.

“We knew it is a nine-inning game, but there’s something different about having the early lead at this time of year. We escape the first inning, which was a lot of deal with, and then Parker hits the homer,” says manager A.J. Hinch.

The win keeps Detroit tied with Kansas City for the AL Wild card spot. Detroit’s magic number is three wins, and they could clinch the Wild Card as soon as Friday.