The Tigers' series opener against the Twins on August 14 was a down-to-the-wire affair, with Detroit staging a comeback from an early 3-0 deficit at the expense of Tarik Skubal. The game went into extra innings tied at three apiece, and AJ Hinch made the questionable decision to entrust Rafael Montero to wrap things up with a narrow 4-3 lead after a sac fly for Gleyber Torres in the bottom of the 10th.
Montero had closed the bottom of the 10th without issue, and he even won a battle against the Twins' best hitter in Byron Buxton.