Báez gives Tigers lift with late homer in 4th straight win

TORONTO -- The Tigers are due for a normal win.

An electric stretch of blowouts and nail-biters continued on Friday evening, when Detroit held on for a 5-4 win over the Blue Jays after leading by as many as four runs at Rogers Centre.

After two walk-off wins over the Red Sox earlier this week, the Tigers would have welcomed a less dramatic finish. But focus and resilience are traits this team takes pride in. The end result is a product of that philosophy.

“If you look at pressure as anything but a privilege, then you're probably going to not play your best,” said manager A.J. Hinch. “We've shown it time and time again. How we play is just as important as what we do. And I'm really proud of this group, because we will reset tomorrow and start all over again.”

That’s how Hinch wants his players to look at a long season: one game at a time, no dwelling on what was. This one wasn’t perfect -- the Tigers left nine men on base and went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position. But they did enough to hold on and become the first team to 30 wins.

Every tack-on run was crucial, but none was more important than Javier Báez’s solo homer in the top of the eighth, which extended the Tigers’ lead to two runs and proved to be the winning blow after the Blue Jays answered with a solo blast of their own in the bottom half.

“That’s what we work for, man,” said Báez. “ … It feels great, honestly, to give something to the team.”

The efforts to give back have been mounting for a while for Báez, who’s enjoying an impressive renaissance at the plate (.855 OPS after a career-low .515 mark last season) while shining at a brand-new position in the field.

Báez’s home run added to an evening that started with a terrific defensive play in the bottom of the second, when he made a diving catch in right-center field then fired a perfect one-hopper to first base to double up a runner and end the inning. That kept the Tigers ahead by one and ensured Jack Flaherty put up another zero en route to a two-run bounce-back outing over 5 2/3 frames.

The right-hander had plenty to say about his center fielder after the game.

“It goes to show that you can't write guys off or or give up on guys, especially a guy like that, who is as talented as anybody who has probably ever played this game,” Flaherty said of Báez’s recent success. “[He’s] somebody who's gonna work hard and continue to put in the work and do everything [he can].

“The adjustment he was able to make, even just embracing going and playing center field, I'm so happy for him, and it's awesome to see. It's also just a testament to who he is and how he is, and how much work he's gonna put behind everything.”

This is all working because Báez bought into it. He wants to be the guy who gives back to the team -- especially a young group like these Tigers. And he’s always had the talent to be that guy.

“You know it's in there. It doesn't just go away,” said Flaherty. “I was able to see it a lot of times going up against him [earlier in my career]. I’ve seen him do some incredible things, and it's fun to watch.”

Everyone on the team seems to be having fun right now.

Flaherty’s postgame interview was nearly lost to the yelling and chanting coming from different corners of the clubhouse. The right-hander had to stop and laugh at one point, waiting for the fun to dial down just a tad so he could continue saying good things about Báez. It’s how this four-game win streak was built, and it’s something that should help the Tigers roll forward with their momentum.

“We’re making sure everybody's joining in in every situation and trying to have success as a team,” said Báez. “And we're doing it right now, everyone.”

Eventually, this club will give us some boring wins -- a three-run difference that carries into the ninth, a save situation that doesn’t involve runners on first and second. For now, though, the Tigers will enjoy what they’ve built.

Then they’ll get ready for the next one.

“We don't really get too high, we don't get too low,” said Hinch. “We never will quit, no matter what happens.”