The Detroit Tigers’ Five Biggest Plays of the ALDS

Oct 8, 2013; Detroit, MI, USA; Oakland Athletics outfielder Yoenis Cespedes (52) is unable to catch a ball hit for a three-run home run by Detroit Tigers outfielder Jhonny Peralta (not pictured) in game four of the American League divisional series playoff baseball game at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

#2 – Game 4: Jhonny Peralta takes Dan Straily deep to even the game.

SPA: 12.7%

When Jed Lowrie homered off of Doug Fister in the top of the fifth inning to give Oakland a 3-0 lead in Game 4, the Tigers’ series probability had sunk to single digits – just 9.6%. It was a lot to ask for the team – a team who had struggled to hit at all to this point in the series – to come back from a 3-0 hole and then also win the next game.

But the Tigers jumped on Oakland starter Dan Straily the very next inning. Prince Fielder and Victor Martinez led off with back-to-back singles to put two runners on for Jhonny Peralta. Peralta smashed a 2-2 offering that carried the wall (and Yoenis Cespedes’ glove) in left field to even the score and give the Tigers back a breath of a chance of winning the series.

This was actually the single biggest play of the series in terms of WPA (.254), but the need to win the next game as well limited the big-picture impact to a degree.