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Winning is Tigers’ only focus down stretch
- Updated: September 19, 2016
CLEVELAND — The quiet that had enveloped the visitors’ clubhouse at Progressive Field after the Tigers’ walk-off loss Saturday night gave way to a buzz Sunday afternoon. It wasn’t exactly a victory celebration — not after losing two out of three to the first-place Indians — but it was at least a victory.
Players were angry after three hit-by-pitches, concerned about Ian Kinsler being struck in the head and relieved to salvage a game. They were eager to move on to Minnesota after a day off on Monday, their last scheduled off-day of the regular season.
More importantly, the Tigers were ready to pivot. Their chase of the Indians, who are seven games up with 13 games to play, is a view from a distance. The American League Wild Card race, by contrast, has become a peloton.
“We’ve really got to win every single day,” manager Brad Ausmus said. “That’s how we look at it. Nobody has any illusions. We’ve got to win every single day. If we win every single day, we’ll be in great shape. If not, we might need some help from somebody else.”
With two weeks left in the regular season, the Tigers are essentially playing playoff baseball now.
“Obviously in a perfect world, we would’ve come in and gotten three wins [in Cleveland]. That didn’t happen,” catcher James McCann said. “We found a way to salvage the series with a win. Moving forward, it’s …
