HOUSTON — One game down.

One more to go.

In Game 1 of their American League wild-card series, the Detroit Tigers secured a hard-fought 3-1 victory over the Houston Astros on Tuesday at Minute Maid Park, marking the start of the 2024 MLB playoffs.

But the game was filled with nail-biting moments.

Holding a 3-0 lead going into the bottom of the ninth, Tigers manager A.J. Hinch brought in closer Jason Foley.

Yordan Alvarez hit a double off the left field wall, followed by an infield single from Alex Bregman.

Before Foley faced Yainer Diaz, pitching coach Chris Fetter made a visit to the mound. Diaz then managed an RBI single after a foul tip was ruled a strikeout.

With runners on second and third and one out, Hinch opted to replace Foley with Beau Brieske.

Brieske responded by getting Victor Caratini to line out to left and then issued a walk to Chas McCormick, filling the bases.

However, Jason Heyward lined out to Spencer Torkelson at first base, sealing the game for the Tigers.

The Tigers can wrap up the series against the Astros and move on to the AL Division Series with a win in Game 2 on Wednesday (2:32 p.m. ET, ABC).

Starting pitchers are yet to be announced.

Should a Game 3 be necessary, it will take place Thursday at the same time and venue. The Cleveland Guardians are set to face the winner on Saturday for Game 1.

In his playoff debut, Tigers ace left-hander Tarik Skubal delivered an impressive six shutout innings, achieving the AL pitching Triple Crown for the first time in 13 years this past season.

Here are some additional highlights from Tuesday’s exciting game:

Tarik Skubal’s Outstanding Performance

Skubal had a standout performance on Tuesday.

In this crucial game, he managed to stay calm during his playoff debut, recovering from a line drive that hit his glove and escaping several challenging situations while keeping the Astros from scoring.

He tossed six scoreless innings, allowed four hits, struck out six batters, and finished his outing after 88 pitches (64 strikes) with the Tigers leading 3-0.

However, there were a few peculiar moments of tension.

In the second inning, with the Tigers ahead 3-0 and Skubal having thrown only five pitches in the first inning, he experienced a scare when Diaz sent a line drive straight back at him, knocking his glove off. For an instant, it appeared he might be hurt, and he looked visibly upset.

Fortunately, he continued to pitch and struck out Jeremy Peña.

“He just needed a breather,” Hinch mentioned to ABC during the fourth inning.

“He’s fine,” Hinch added. “He’s got a strong competitive spirit.”

Earlier in the season on September 12, Skubal faced a similar issue when a line drive struck his right (non-throwing) hand but managed to avoid serious injury both times.

He showcased his competitive nature again in a tough situation late in the game.

In the fourth inning, with two runners on and one out, Skubal found himself in a jam against Peña.

Fetter visited the mound, helping to settle him down. Skubal then struck out Peña and retired Caratini, escaping the situation.

Another unsettling moment came in the sixth inning when Skubal called for Jake Rogers to join him on the mound.

Hinch and a trainer checked on him, and after throwing a warmup pitch, he seemed alright.

Following that, Bregman barely missed hitting a home run, singling high off the left-field wall.

Nevertheless, Skubal responded by striking out Diaz on three pitches, the last being a 99 mph fastball above the strike zone, and celebrated with a loud roar.

Diligent Baserunning Leads to Rally

Parker Meadows’ effort on the basepaths proved crucial in the Tigers’ early offensive surge.

In the second inning, Meadows sprinted to first base and beat the throw, preventing a double play that would have ended the inning.

This hustle appeared to energize the Tigers.

At the very least, it kept hopes alive.

With two outs, singles from Rogers, Trey Sweeney, and Matt Vierling came together, leading to a 3-0 advantage for the Tigers.

Meadows’ effort down the line initiated this sequence and came as a result of heightened awareness about baserunning, sparked by an intense team meeting led by third base coach Joey Cora in early August.

Inexperienced Playoff Participants? Not a Problem

Leading into this matchup, there was a stark contrast in playoff experience between the Tigers and the Astros.

Vierling was the lone player on the Tigers’ roster with any playoff experience (having played in 12 postseason games for Philadelphia in 2022).

Conversely, the Astros’ roster was stacked with veterans.

Jose Altuve participated in his 104th playoff game, having reached the plate 476 times in the postseason.

Bregman, similarly, played in his 98th playoff game.

However, it was the players without playoff experience who stepped up, contributing hits, driving in runs, and making vital pitches.

The Tigers displayed remarkable composure and did not show signs of playoff anxiety.

They maintained their focus, threw strikes, and generated several singles that turned into runs for an early lead.

They kept their composure even in the high-pressure ninth inning.

Contact Jeff Seidel at jseidel@freepress.com. You can follow him on X with the handle @seideljeff.