Tigers bring the kid energy in walk-off win at Little League Classic

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. -- As the Tigers spent the day with the Little Leaguers before the Little League Classic, there was a renewed energy among the team. It was a reminder of the passion and love that they shared for the sport as they entered Sunday night’s contest against the Yankees.

“I think sometimes you get into the day in, day out of baseball, it became a job, a business. Coming here and seeing all the smiles, the passion, the love for the game, kind of like refreshes you a little bit,” said Tigers reliever Alex Faedo. “So it's really cool to see these guys, playing their hardest all the time, and [it] kind of reminds you why you do it.”

The Tigers carried it with them in the 3-2 walk-off win at Journey Bank Ballpark, fighting hard every step of the way, outside of the Yankees scoring in Little League fashion off a wild pitch in the sixth inning. Even as Detroit was trailing into the ninth, that did not stop it from starting a rally.

The youthful energy stuck with the young Tigers lineup, which featured six players 24 or younger. It's the first time since May 25, 2015, that the Tigers have had six starters under 25. Before that, it hadn't happened for Detroit since Sept. 30, 1978.

“This is who we are, and it's just a lot of guys that are here, getting opportunities. They've earned it,” said manager A.J. Hinch. “They're also guys that we're going to rely on moving forward. And it doesn't mean you have to be young to play on this team. But it does show that developments continue, and at this level, we believe in these guys. We believe in these guys. … This is a fun group to manage because they believe.”

It took a while for the offense to string some hits together against a dominant Marcus Stroman and the Yankees’ bullpen. Even New York’s bats were quiet for the majority of the game against Tarik Skubal, who was not happy with his command but kept the score to a one-run differential through his six innings.

“I was able to compete and get outs when I needed to, so I think that’s what matters,” the left-handed Skubal said.

Skubal did what he needed to, and his youngest teammates took care of the rest.

Jace Jung, 23, delivered the game-tying RBI single in the ninth -- his first career RBI -- to keep the game alive for the Little Leaguers to enjoy from the stands. The anticipation of not knowing what would happen next kept the fans on the edge of their seats.

The Yankees immediately answered the call in the 10th inning, but the Tigers found the momentum at the right moment.

Pinch-hitter Zach McKinstry singled, bringing in Trey Sweeney to score in the bottom half. After McKinstry stole second, Parker Meadows knocked a single to bring in his teammate.

“It felt good,” the 24-year-old Meadows said. “All year this team, we fight ‘til the end, and you saw it tonight. Credit to JJ, getting a knock there … and then good defense in the 10th, and then Z-Mac stole the base and got into scoring position. And I was just trying to put a ball in play and help the team win.”

The team sprinted onto the field in celebration as it took home not just a series win, but the 2024 Little League Classic title as well to cap Players’ Weekend in a fun and memorable manner.

“It was an incredible day in all facets,” Hinch said. “We got here early; everybody enjoyed it. We went over to hang out with the kids … and then it was a well-played game, I think, on both sides. Well-pitched game, certainly. And then when they scored the run, we got to try to find a way to scratch and claw. That's exactly what we did.

“I'm incredibly proud of our group for hanging in there and staying in the fight and pulling out a dramatic win in front of a lot of kids who were awesome to stay and hang in there [for 10 innings].”