Miguel Cabrera Walks Off With Detroit Tigers Win Over White Sox

Sep 23, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera (24) is mobbed by teammates after he hits a game winning RBI single in the ninth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Comerica Park. Detroit won 4-3. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Every good story needs a hero and in this seasons story that hero is Miguel Cabrera.  Mighty Miggy hit a ninth inning walk off single to propel the Detroit Tigers to a 4-3 win over the White Sox to preserve his teams lead in the AL Central.

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The hit drove in Miguel Cabrera’s 19th game winnng RBI of the season.  Tuesday night’s hit was just another clutch hit in a season full of clutch moments for Cabrera who always seems to come through when the chips are down.

But the theatrics in the bottom of the ninth would not have been necessary if not for managerial mistakes in the top half.

Ninth Inning Ninny

The game looked to be in hand when the top of the ninth started.  The Detroit Tigers had a 3 run lead with their trade deadline ringer coming out to complete the shut-out.  But after an Adam Eaton single and a Alexei Ramirez double there were runners at second and third with none out.  The White Sox rookie power hitting phenom Jose Abreu was starting to dig into the batters box when Brad Ausmus made his way to the mound.

The Comerica Park fans were booing.  They did not want to see Joe Nathan in this spot.  They don’t trust him. Obviously neither does Ausmus.

The Tigers skipper sad of his visit to the mound “When I left him in, I thought it was his game…Unless he tells me he is out of gas, I am gonna leave him in.”

That is the same vote of confidence Brad Ausmus has extended Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander this during the season.  Both times it has cost the Tigers a game.  Brad Ausmus would be answering for that mistake again if not for Miguel Cabrera.

Back to the game and David Price gets the clean-up hitter Abreu to strike out . With Avisal Garcia on first, all Daivd Price had to do is induce a double play from the rapidly aging  Paul Konerko. But Konerko singled, putting runners at the corners with one out.

Certainly Brad Ausmus would bring in the closer now.

Nope.

And David Price rewarded his skippers confidence by allowing the game tieing single by 4A baller Marcus Semien.

Joe Nathan came into get the Tigers out of the jam but the damage had been done.  It seemed as if Tigers fans watched their narrow one-game lead in the AL Central disappear in 20 minutes.

Mighty Miggy

But the Tigers still have Miguel Cabrera and despite playing on one leg Miggy still has magic in his bat.  After an entire season of un-MVP-like offense, Miguel Cabrera has come through the Tigers in September. It s hard to say where the Tigers would be without their perennial MVP candidate.

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