SEATTLE — Oh, man, this couldn’t have worked out better for the Detroit Tigers.

They got tremendous pitching from rookie pitcher Troy Melton , some great pitching by their bullpen, a homer by Kerry Carpenter and a huge RBI single by Zach McKinstry in the 11th inning to give the Tigers' a 3-2 win in Game 1 of the ALDS at T-Mobile Park on Saturday, Oct. 4.

Wait. There’s something else. Something important. Did we mention the Tigers have Tarik Skubal pitching Game 2? And he could potentially pitch in Game 5?

Yes, that's an advantage for the Tigers. A huge one.

Suddenly, with this win in their pocket, the Tigers are in a great position to win this best-of-five series and all the pressure flips to the Mariners. Looking for a free mini puzzle? Play the USA TODAY Quick Cross now. THE

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