Back to Sport

Báez Hits Walk-Off Single to Lift Tigers Over Dodgers

Jhonny Báez drove in the winning run in the ninth inning to lead the Detroit Tigers past the Los Angeles Dodgers, 2-1, on Saturday at Comerica Park.

Briar Keller

August 30, 20262 min read

Ninth Inning Drama - illustration, Jake Team LLC
MLBFinal
Los Angeles Dodgers1
Detroit Tigers2

August 29, 2026

Late-Inning Breakthrough

The Detroit Tigers escaped a one-run deficit on Saturday, August 29, defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers 2-1 at Comerica Park. Jhonny Báez provided the decisive offensive spark, scoring on a single by McGonigle in the ninth inning to secure the victory for the home side. The game featured a tight defensive battle, with both offenses struggling to generate consistent power against strong pitching performances from both bullpens.

Game Progression

Los Angeles took an early lead in the third inning when Torres hit a ground rule double. That drive allowed Báez to score and moved Clark to third base, giving the Dodgers a 1-0 advantage. Detroit responded in the sixth inning to tie the game at 1-1. Freeman singled to right field, enabling Thomas to score and erase the deficit. The score remained tied heading into the final frame, setting the stage for a decisive ninth-inning exchange.

Pitching Duel

Blake Snell started for Los Angeles, logging five innings of work. He allowed three hits and one earned run while walking three batters and striking out ten hitters. The Tigers' Keider Montero matched him on the mound, pitching five and one-third innings. Montero surrendered four hits and one earned run, issuing one walk and recording three strikeouts. Both starters provided effective early relief, limiting damage until the later innings.

Bullpen Effort

The Dodgers used four relievers after Snell, including Seth Halvorsen, Alex Vesia, Edgardo Henriquez, and Jack Dreyer. Dreyer took the loss, allowing two hits and one earned run in one-third of an inning while walking two batters. Detroit relied on Tyler Holton, Andrew Sears, and closer Kenley Jansen for the remainder. Jansen earned the win, pitching one-third of an inning without allowing a hit, walk, or run. The final score stood at 2-1 in favor of Detroit.

Final Records

Following the result, the Tigers improved their record to 63 wins and 72 losses. The Dodgers dropped to 81 wins and 55 losses. The game drew a crowd of 40,022 at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan. No home runs were hit by either team during the contest.

Sources

https://www.espn.com/mlb/game/_/gameId/401816721

Share

Briar Keller

Briar Keller covers Saratoga high school and area college sports.

Related Stories

More in Weather