DETROIT -- A year ago this month, Brant Hurter was leading Double-A Erie to its first-ever Eastern League title, complete with seven scoreless innings and seven strikeouts in the final game of the championship series. As the SeaWolves received the championship trophy after the game, he yelled out that he loves Erie, Penn.

Tigers coaches had some fun with that last part, showing the video in Spring Training, where Hurter was a non-roster invite. It was arguably the most famous moment of his pro career ¡­ until Friday¡¯s 1-0 win over the Orioles.

One out after another, Hurter -- working with Dillon Dingler, his catcher from Erie and Triple-A Toledo -- silenced a Baltimore lineup that ranks second in the AL in runs scored and third in OPS, and second in the Majors in home runs. Not only did Hurter retire his first 17 batters in order, he allowed only one ball out of the infield and struck out eight, including the side in order in the sixth inning. His sinkers were hitting the corners, his sweepers were moving more than usual, and he had a powerful group of hitters guessing.

¡°It seemed like they weren¡¯t seeing the sinker well,¡± Hurter said, ¡°which got me some chases with the slider. I think they weren¡¯t comfortable in the box.¡±

Combined with four outs from opener Beau Brieske, Hurter was six outs away from the Tigers¡¯ first official perfect game, and the first combined perfect game in Major League history.

¡°The atmosphere definitely felt different,¡± Hurter said. ¡°Towards the fifth, sixth [inning], the dugout atmosphere got a little different, too. It was really cool.¡±

Hurter had to settle for the win -- his fifth in his past five appearances -- and a big role in helping the Tigers gain ground in the American League Wild Card chase. While the Tigers beat the Orioles in a clash of AL postseason contenders, the Twins lost to the Reds, bringing Detroit within 2 1/2 games of Minnesota for the third Wild Card spot.

It was a fitting way to open a critical series. The Tigers have crept back into the AL Wild Card picture in part with their mastery of bullpen games, using an opener to set up a would-be starter with an ideal entry point. Though Hurter has essentially become a vital part of the Tigers' rotation, the left-hander has made only one traditional start, with an opener -- usually Brieske -- pitching in front of him seven other times.

Once Brieske retired Baltimore¡¯s first four batters, Hurter picked it up. He threw first-pitch strikes to each of his first 14 batters, and didn¡¯t reach a three-ball count until going to a full count against Jackson Holliday, who struck out to end the sixth.

¡°You¡¯ve got to give that left-hander a lot of credit,¡± O¡¯s manager Brandon Hyde said. ¡°It¡¯s a funky arm angle. He was pumping strikes and getting ahead of us. We had a tough time staying on him, and we didn¡¯t center him at all."

Hurter retired the top of the Orioles' order in the seventh, capped by a strikeout of Cedric Mullins on a wicked sweeper, and the crowd of 25,253 was on its feet, some undoubtedly with memories of Armando Galarraga¡¯s would-be perfect game nullified by a missed call at the end.

Adley Rutschman dashed those dreams to begin the eighth inning, fouling off a pair of full-count pitches before Hurter¡¯s sweeper stayed well off the plate for ball four and Baltimore¡¯s first baserunner. When the O¡¯s brought up right-handed pinch-hitter Austin Slater, manager A.J. Hinch called on righty Brenan Hanifee, who struck out Slater and Colton Cowser on his way to finishing the inning.

The perfect game was gone, but the no-hitter was intact, handed to Tyler Holton. He retired Emmanuel Rivera and won a nine-pitch battle with pinch-hitter Coby Mayo on a called third strike. One out away from the 10th no-hitter in franchise history, Holton saw Gunnar Henderson slash the first pitch inside first base and down the right-field line for a triple.

¡°After the letdown of the hit, it was like, ¡®Oh, by the way, we still have a one-run game,¡± Hinch said. ¡°It was really important for him to reset.¡±

With the potential tying run on third and Anthony Santander at the plate, Holton fanned Santander on a fastball after Dingler blocked a changeup in the dirt. So while the Tigers didn¡¯t witness history, they¡¯re still watching a playoff chase.

¡°It was just one of those perfect nights,¡± Hurter said.

Almost literally.