BOSTON -- Will Saturday finally be the Detroit Tigers’ long-awaited clinch day?

They will have two chances: Beat the Boston Red Sox at 4:10 p.m. at Fenway Park or wait and hope for the Houston Astros to lose again to the Los Angeles Angels in a game beginning at 9:38 p.m.

The former would be a far more preferable and happier outcome. And it might be attainable, too, as the Red Sox clinched Friday night and will presumably be resting their starters and perhaps a bit, uh, hungover -- figuratively, if not literally.

The Tigers have lost nine of 10, 12 of 14 and 21 of their last 29 games, so even a win Saturday would not erase the conclusion that they are backing into the playoffs.

Yes, the Tigers have been hurt by Cleveland’s incredible resurgence, but more recently they’ve been helped

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