Red Sox in playoffs, while tumbling Tigers look to earn berth

The Boston Red Sox walked off into October with a Friday win, but the final two days of the regular season at Fenway Park will still have plenty of meaning.

After Ceddanne Rafaela's ninth-inning RBI triple lifted Boston (88-72) to a memorable 4-3 victory, clinching its first postseason berth since 2021, the Detroit Tigers (86-74) will now be the focus of the American League playoff race as the three-game series continues on Saturday afternoon.

The Tigers got a boost courtesy of the Los Angeles Angels' 4-3 home victory over the Houston Astros later Friday. With the Astros' loss, the Tigers' magic number to clinch a postseason spot is down to one. Detroit is tied atop the AL Central with the Cleveland Guardians, who hold the tiebreaker.

Rafaela's big hit put a bow on Boston's comeback from a 3-0 deficit en route to a 12th walk-off win this season, tied for the second most in franchise history. The center fielder has been the hero in three of those victories.

As a result, a Red Sox team that was under .500 on July 4 and has star rookie Roman Anthony among a slew of injured players will play October baseball.

"Through the year, we went through a lot, right?" Boston manager Alex Cora said, addressing his team after Friday's game. "We struggled and we got up. We kept going and going and going. Today was a perfect example of a team win. ... You could feel the energy in that game."

The season's ups and downs will benefit Boston moving forward, and with a stellar top of the rotation headlined by ace Garrett Crochet and winning players like fellow newcomer Alex Bregman in the lineup, there is a lot to like about the team's chances in October.

First, the Red Sox -- 7-4 in their last 11 -- will look to finish strong, including first baseman Nathaniel Lowe, who believes in the club that he joined just last month after being released by the Washington Nationals.

"Now that our foot's in the door, our goal should be to win the World Series," Lowe said. "When this group executes, I believe that we're the best team in the league -- absolutely."

Boston will turn to its second straight young southpaw for the Saturday start as Connelly Early (1-1, 1.88 ERA) follows Kyle Harrison.

The 23-year-old Early took his first loss last Sunday against the Tampa Bay Rays, allowing three runs (two earned) in four innings after dealing a combined 10 1/3 innings of one-run ball in his first two starts, both against the Athletics.

In the opposite dugout, meanwhile, Detroit has lost 12 of 14 -- with one of those wins coming Thursday in Cleveland -- and the Tigers need one victory or one Astros loss to secure a postseason berth.

Until the late innings, Friday's game appeared to be going just the way manager A.J. Hinch and the Tigers would want. A three-run fourth staked them to a lead, and Casey Mize was in the midst of throwing 6 1/3 shutout frames.

While the Red Sox clawed back, Detroit's own bats were just 3-of-13 with runners in scoring position. Ten men were stranded on base.

"We could have better at-bats, we could swing at better pitches, but at the end of the day, that guy is throwing the ball and we're trying to hit it," Tigers outfielder Riley Greene said. "It is what it is."

Leadoff hitter Jahmai Jones had another key knock on Friday, delivering a two-run double that extended Detroit's lead to 3-0. He is 5-for-11 over his last five games.

Hinch did not declare a Saturday starter before the series, stating that it depended on what happened on Friday.

With Detroit's playoff fate still in doubt, though, reigning Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal (13-6, 2.21) is still lined up to pitch on Sunday.

"It's pretty clear," Hinch said of his team's pitching plan before Friday's game. "If we need to get into the playoffs, we're going to pitch Tarik. If we've clinched a playoff berth, then we won't pitch him."

--Field Level Media