Tigers 6, Angels 1: Rally Goose wills Tigers to rain-soaked victory

A goose’s escapades on the field during the second of two rain delays lifted the Detroit Tigers’ spirits, willing them to a five-run sixth inning in a 6-1 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday evening. The goose flew into the scoreboard during the delay, but remained in the game. The Tigers tried to place the goose on the 10-day disabled list (probably out of habit at this point), but instead released it outside of Comerica Park because the goose is not under contract.

Most inspired by the goose were Nicholas Castellanos and Leonys Martin, who combined for five of Detroit’s nine hits. Castellanos had a pair of doubles off of L.A.’s Shohei Ohtani, who allowed one run on three hits in five inefficient innings. He was actually out-pitched by Mike Fiers, who worked around seven hits in 5 ²⁄₃ innings. Fiers was one strike away from an 18th out when the game was stopped for the second rain delay of the night; he did not return after play resumed (likely because he was overcome with emotion from the goose’s courageous effort).

The Tigers opened the scoring off Ohtani in the bottom of the first. The Japanese phenom surrendered a pair of walks, and Niko Goodrum made him pay with an RBI single to put his team up 1-0. The Angels tied the score in the third when Albert Pujols scored Mike Trout with an RBI single of his own.

After a pair of delays and a couple of scoreless innings, the newly-inspired Tigers broke the game open in the sixth. They quickly loaded the bases with no outs, and Jose Iglesias gave the Tigers the lead with a two-run single off reliever Cam Bedrosian. He was promptly replaced by Jim Johnson, who did little to stop the bleeding. JaCoby Jones beat out an Andrelton Simmons throw to the plate on a slow roller from Dixon Machado, then Martin and Castellanos added insurance runs with RBI singles.

Best of all — well, beside the goose — the Tigers may have found a third reliable reliever for the back end of their bullpen. Louis Coleman recorded a cool four outs in relief to earn his second win of the season. Joe Jimenez and Shane Greene also worked scoreless innings, giving the bullpen 3 ²⁄₃ frames with just one walk allowed this evening.

Also, this happened.

Well done, JaCoby.