BALTIMORE — Like the events in a modern-day crime podcast, Parker Meadows’ home run robbery spree is becoming the stuff of legend, now stretching from coast to coast. The center fielder’s latest heist in the Tigers’ 4-3 victory over the Orioles on Sunday afternoon could well be the caper that completes Detroit’s smash-and-grab job on the American League Wild Card race.
The sellout crowd at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, having just watched the home team erase a three-run Tigers lead, was ready to erupt when Colton Cowser sent Sean Guenther’s pitch soaring to right-center field in the fifth inning, seemingly headed for a two-run homer and Baltimore’s first lead of the day. Meadows brought it back with a leap and a reach over the fence.
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It looked eerily similar to Meadows’ leaping grab in Seattle on Aug. 7, which brought back a would-be go-ahead homer from Cal Raleigh. Both had plenty of loft, but Sunday’s catch had so much more riding on it, including a postseason berth that seemed unfathomable when Meadows made his leap in Seattle.
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Once Kerry Carpenter led off the next inning with a go-ahead homer, his second home run of the game, the Tigers had completely reversed the momentum the O’s had going. Detroit’s win moved it a half-game over Minnesota and tied with Kansas City for the second AL Wild Card berth, pending the nightcap of the Twins’ split doubleheader at Boston.
Carpenter’s first home run, a third-inning drive to right off O’s starter Albert Suárez that nearly bounced onto Eutaw Street, built a 3-0 lead on the heels of Spencer Torkelson’s second-inning solo homer and Trey Sweeney’s RBI double. Ty Madden took the relay from Tyler Holton’s two hitless innings as an opener and carried it forward with defensive help, deftly covering third to nab Cowser trying to advance an extra base on Adley Rutschman’s single in the fourth inning.
Four consecutive fifth-inning hits off Madden, including Cedric Mullins’ two-run homer and Jordan Westburg’s RBI double, evened the score. Meadows’ grab kept the game from completely flipping, and Carpenter’s second homer turned it back in the Tigers’ favor.
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Kerry Carpenter’s second home run (17)
Senior Reporter Jason Beck has covered the Tigers for MLB.com since 2002.