The Detroit Tigers erased a two-run deficit and held on for an 8-7 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates at Comerica Park on Friday, September 25, 2026. Spencer Torkelson powered the offense with a 3-for-4 night that included a home run and three RBI, while Jackson Jobe earned the win and Kenley Jansen locked down the ninth for the save. The Tigers needed every bit of it — Pittsburgh kept clawing, and this one was not decided until the final out.

Torkelson Carries Detroit's Offense

Torkelson was the engine of this Tigers lineup on Friday. He went 3-for-4 with a home run, three RBI, and the kind of consistent contact that kept Detroit in the game through multiple Pittsburgh rallies. Eduardo Valencia also contributed, reaching base twice in two at-bats to provide depth in the order.

On the Pittsburgh side, Rafael Flores Jr. did real damage — his solo home run was part of a 1-for-4 night that produced three RBI, and Ryan O'Hearn added two more RBI on a 2-for-4 performance. The Pirates were not going quietly.

Jobe Gives Detroit a Quality Start, Bullpen Gets Tested

Jackson Jobe was sharp through 5.1 innings, striking out eight Pirates batters while allowing just two earned runs on three hits and two walks. That's the kind of outing that keeps a team in a ballgame, and Jobe earned the win as a result.

The bullpen story was rockier. Drew Sommers came in and tossed 0.2 innings without allowing a run, striking out two. But Andrew Sears struggled badly in his 1.2 innings of work — four hits, one walk, and five earned runs. That was the stretch that let Pittsburgh surge back and make this a genuine one-run game entering the late innings.

Tyler Holton cleaned up with a clean 0.1-inning stint, setting the table for Kenley Jansen. Jansen was unhittable in the ninth — two strikeouts, no hits, no walks — to nail down the save and close out the 8-7 win.

Pittsburgh's Starter Couldn't Find the Zone Early

Bubba Chandler had a rough night as the Pirates' starter. He lasted just 2.2 innings, surrendering six earned runs on four hits and four walks with only two strikeouts. Detroit jumped on those early walks and didn't let go. Wilber Dotel was Pittsburgh's most effective arm out of the bullpen, going three innings and allowing just one earned run on four hits.

Turning Point: Sears Blows the Lead, Jansen Saves It

The clear hinge moment in this game was Sears's implosion in relief. Detroit had built a cushion behind Jobe's strong start, but Sears surrendered five earned runs in under two innings to hand Pittsburgh the momentum and briefly the lead. That forced Detroit's offense to respond and put the bullpen in a difficult spot late.

What separated this game was Jansen stepping up when it mattered most. Two strikeouts, zero baserunners in the ninth — exactly what a closer is supposed to do when the margin is one run and the season calendar reads late September.

Key Performances at a Glance

  • Spencer Torkelson (DET): 3-for-4, 1 HR, 3 RBI
  • Eduardo Valencia (DET): 2-for-2
  • Jackson Jobe (DET): 5.1 IP, 8 K, 2 ER, W
  • Kenley Jansen (DET): 1.0 IP, 2 K, 0 ER, SV
  • Rafael Flores Jr. (PIT): 1-for-4, 1 HR, 3 RBI
  • Ryan O'Hearn (PIT): 2-for-4, 2 RBI
  • Andrew Sears (DET): 1.2 IP, 5 ER — the rough spot in an otherwise winning night

What's Next for the Tigers

Detroit gets another crack at Pittsburgh on Saturday. After Friday's bullpen turbulence — specifically Sears giving back a lead that Jobe had built carefully — the Tigers will need to watch how A.J. Hinch deploys his relievers in game two. If Jobe-like starting pitching continues and Torkelson stays locked in at the plate, Detroit has the formula to take this series. The question is whether the middle relief can hold a lead long enough to give Jansen clean save opportunities.