Detroit Tigers: Shane Greene does it again, helps Tigers defeat Pirates

The Detroit Tigers earned their first win in nearly a week on Tuesday night, defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-4 in a nail biter.

Tuesday night was somewhat of a rollercoaster of a win for the Detroit Tigers. Coming back from an early deficit, then losing the lead, then gaining it back helped the Tigers capture their first victory in almost a week.

Playing a major role yet again in another Detroit Tigers victory was closer Shane Greene. Greene looked in trouble with Pittsburgh threating down just one run in the bottom of the ninth. However, Shane Greene remained cold as ice and made a crucial play in the field assisting in a double play that won Detroit the game.

Tuesday night earned Greene his 21st save of the season, giving him the most in the American League and tying him with the Dodgers’ Kenley Jansen for second most in all the major leagues. Needless to say, the 30-year-old is one of the MLB’s premier closers currently in the game.

Being one of the leading closers in the major leagues also means that Greene also is sure to be one of the most sought after assets come next month’s trade deadline. To prove just how valuable Shane Greene can be to a team, he has 21 saves so far in a season where the Detroit Tigers have only 26 wins. Therefore, the Tigers have only won five games this season in which they have not required Greene’s services to seal the victory.

Through the ups and downs of Tuesday’s win, having the best closer in the American League is a pretty nice safety net for the Detroit Tigers to have. Despite being in a tricky situation, Shane Greene never wavered and the Tigers were able to capture a much-needed win.