DETROIT -- Miguel Cabrera spent 21 years hitting his way into exclusive territory. For a minute, fittingly, he was alone on the field.

He stood at first base by himself at Comerica Park, serenaded by chants from a sellout crowd. He knew he was going to play first at some point late in Sunday afternoon¡¯s 5-2 win over the Guardians, though he had to borrow Spencer Torkelson¡¯s game glove for his first appearance in the field in two years. But Cabrera had no idea he¡¯d be running out of the dugout by himself before the top of the eighth inning.

¡°We surprised Miggy, which is very hard to do,¡± manager A.J. Hinch. ¡°It was playing out so incredibly well for that type of moment: bat in the seventh, go out [and play first base] for the eighth.¡±

¡°To come back to first base for one out, it was another dream come true,¡± Cabrera said. ¡°I thought I was never going to play in the field again because of my injuries.¡±

That part was planned. The Tigers -- without Cabrera -- had talked about it Sunday morning. The ground ball that followed could not have been scripted if they¡¯d tried, even from such a gifted contact hitter as Steven Kwan.

¡°I really wanted Miggy to touch the ball in some capacity,¡± Hinch said. ¡°Every infielder was nervous they were going to throw it and hit him in the chest.¡±

¡°Kwan jokingly came up and was like, ¡®I¡¯m going to pull a bunt right to Miggy,¡¯¡± catcher Jake Rogers said. ¡°I went [first-pitch] heater to Kwan and then the next pitch, I called slider. And then I set up and I went, ¡®Oh my God, he¡¯s going to hit this right to Miggy.¡¯ And sure enough, it happened.¡±

For a split second, Kwan bolted down the first-base line, his instincts sensing a chance at an infield single. The 40-year-old Cabrera backhanded the ball like he¡¯d been playing first all season, saw Kwan¡¯s speed and beat him to the bag.

¡°I was excited,¡± Cabrera said. ¡°I was like a kid over there. And I knew that was going to happen: a ground ball. I was ready. I made a nice play, too.¡±

"How about that? They put the guy out there for a curtain call and the first ball is hit right [to him],¡± said Guardians manager Terry Francona. ¡°Sometimes, maybe things work out for a reason."

¡°We had talked about one out, maybe two, depending on how the inning went,¡± Hinch said. ¡°The ground ball definitely happened organically. ¡­ I thought he was just going to run off the field.¡±

Reliever Will Vest, who had just entered the game, hustled to the bag in case Miggy couldn¡¯t get there, and gave him a hug when he did. Then Hinch went back to script and came out of the dugout with Cabrera¡¯s three children to pull him.

No one could plan the emotions that followed.

¡°I¡¯m just trying not to look at the kids, because they¡¯re all just really, really emotional,¡± Hinch said. ¡°I kept saying 'I might cry, I might cry,' and I¡¯m like, ¡®Let it out.¡¯

¡°And when we got to Miggy, [the kids] had started the day [throwing] the first pitch. And I told Miggy, ¡®They started your day. They¡¯re going to end your day.¡¯¡±

The team met him at the mound and lined up to give him a hug, then lined up at the infield as his kids led him off to retirement.

¡°We made it,¡± Cabrera said he told his family. ¡°Thank God we made it.¡±

It was a fitting tribute to close a 21-year career that ends with Cabrera among the greatest hitters in history.

¡°Every moment was hard for me,¡± Cabrera said. ¡°I think it was the hardest game I ever played in my life. It was tough. There were a lot of thoughts in my head. I wasn¡¯t able to focus.¡±

Cabrera went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts against Guardians starter Lucas Giolito before a four-pitch walk in his final plate appearance against reliever Enyel De Los Santos, but nobody cared about the 0-fer. Cabrera ends his career with a .306 average, 3,174 hits (16th most in Major League history), 511 home runs (25th), 627 doubles (13th), 1,881 RBIs, 1,258 walks, 103 sacrifice flies (tied for 25th) and a .900 OPS.

All season long, a team of relative youngsters laughed with Miggy and cheered him on through his farewell season. They saw happy Miggy, serious Miggy, competitive Miggy. Very few were ready for emotional Miggy.

¡°The whole year, everybody¡¯s talking about what it¡¯s like being on his farewell tour,¡± Torkelson said. ¡°And it didn¡¯t really hit me until Friday, when you see the crowd and you see all the celebrations. Just really awesome to be a part of. ¡­ I didn¡¯t cry. I wish I did.¡±

Others took care of that.

¡°I didn¡¯t think I was going to get emotional, but I got emotional,¡± right fielder Kerry Carpenter said. ¡°That was the coolest moment I¡¯ve ever experienced on a baseball field.¡±

¡°As soon as I saw him tearing up and other teammates, it got me going,¡± rookie center fielder Parker Meadows said. ¡°He¡¯s just so, so special to us and this city and baseball.¡±

Riley Greene said it was the first time he¡¯d ever cried on a baseball field.

And Miggy?

¡°Second time,¡± said Cabrera, his eyes still watery.

First time?

¡°3,000 [hits],¡± he said.

Cabrera leaves behind a legacy in Detroit, in Venezuela and in baseball. He also leaves behind Torkelson¡¯s glove, which Cabrera autographed while listing his career accomplishments.

¡°Now the gamer is retired,¡± Torkelson said.

And so is the legend who borrowed it.

¡°I¡¯m lucky, because I played 21 years in the big leagues,¡° Cabrera said. ¡°I played with love. I played hard. I¡¯m going to miss it, but it is what it is. There¡¯s always the end.¡±