Recap: Tigers rally in ninth to win opener, 5-4, over White Sox

The Tigers won the opener, 5-4, in exciting fashion as Javier Baez's fly to right scored the winner in the bottom of the ninth.

After tying the game in the eighth on a two-RBI single from Miguel Cabrera, Andrew Vaughn homered in the ninth to give the White Sox a 4-3 lead. But Eric Haase answered with a home run of his own with one out in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game, 4-4.

After Robbie Grossman struck out, Austin Meadows tripled to right center before the Baez hit.

The hit was first called an out as right fielder AJ Pollock appeared to make a circus catch at the wall to end the inning with the game tied at 4. But review showed what Baez immediately knew: the ball hit the wall before Pollock's glove, scoring Meadows and giving the new Tigers shortstop the winning in his first game in Detroit.

White Sox back in front of Tigers with ninth-inning dinger

The White Sox didn't trail long.

With one out in the top of the ninth, Andrew Vaughn went deep to left field off Tigers reliever Gregory Soto to give the White Sox a 4-3 lead, answering the Tigers' two-run eighth.

Soto then induced a double play to get out of the inning.

Cabrera drives in two, Tigers-White Sox tied headed to the ninth

The Tigers bats came to life with three hits in the eighth inning, the last from Miguel Cabrera to tie the game headed to the ninth.

The Tigers threatened early as Robbie Grossman singled to left with one out and Austin Meadows drew a walk.

Javier Baez then lined a single to left to load the bases for Jeimer Candelario. But Candelario was called out on a pitch on the outside of the plate before Cabrera lofted a soft liner to right center to score two and tie the game, 3-3. 

Akil Baddoo grounded into a fielder's choice to end the inning.

Bullpen keeping Tigers in the game as  White Sox lead, 3-1

Jacob Barnes took over on the mound for the Tigers in the top of the eighth and got the White Sox out in order.

The efficient work from the Tigers' bullpen has kept the Tigers in the game, but with just two hits, the offense hasn't been holding up its end of the bargain heading to the bottom of the eighth.

Tigers out in order again, White Sox up, 3-1, after seven

The bats went to sleep again for the Tigers in the bottom of the seventh as they went down in order.

Jonathan Schoop grounded out before Akil Baddoo popped out to short and Spencer Torkelson struck out looking, leaving the Tigers behind by two with just two innings to play.

Another quick inning for the Tigers, who trail White Sox, 3-1

The Tigers went to the bullpen again and Alex Lange came in to keep the White Sox off the scoreboard in the top of the seventh.

AJ Pollack singled to center for his third hit of the game, but he was stranded there as the Tigers headed to the bottom of the seventh trying to build off the momentum created offensively in the sixth.

Tigers score but miss out on big inning as White Sox lead, 3-1

The Tigers got things going early in the sixth as Robbie Grossman was hit by a pitch from Kyle Crick before Austin Meadows worked the count for a walk to put runners on first and second with no outs.

Javier Baez then just missed a pitch, hitting it to the warning track in left field for the first out of the inning.

Jeimer Candelario then drove in the first run of the season with an RBI-single to center as Grossman scored and Meadows went to third. Another run looked like it scored on Miguel Cabrera's grounder to short. But Candelario was called for interference at second base, leading to a double play and the end of the inning.

Tigers sit White Sox down in order but trail, 3-0

Rookie Spencer Torkelson is still looking for his first hit, but he produced his first web gem in the top of the sixth, making a diving catch at first base on a line drive from Leury Garcia to open the inning.

Josh Harrison then popped out to shortstop Javier Baez and Andrew Vaughn grounded out to third baseman Jeimer Candelario as the White Sox went down in order behind solid pitching from Drew Hutchison.

Tigers go down in order again, White Sox lead, 3-0

The White Sox went to the bullpen, bringing Bennett Sousa in for starter Luis Giolito.

And while the Tigers had started to put together some good swings in the fourth, they went quietly in the fifth as Akil Baddoo and Spencer Torkelson both flew out to right and Tucker Barnhart grounded out to shortstop.

It was the second straight inning the Tigers went down in order.

Tigers work out of jam as White Sox lead, 3-0

The day is over for starter Eduardo Rodriguez, who gave up four hits and three runs in four innings, striking out two and walking a pair.

Eduardo was replaced in the top of the fifth by Drew Hutchison, who was in trouble early, giving up a leadoff double to AJ Pollock and then had a single from Luis Robert bang of his leg.

Hutchison was able to work out of the jam, however, getting Jose Abreu to ground out, inducing a pop out from Yasmani Grandal while Eloy Jimenez grounded out to Hutchison to strand a pair and keep the White Sox lead at 3-0 heading to the bottom of the fifth.

Tigers bats heating up but White Sox still lead, 3-0

The Tigers started squaring the ball up in the bottom of the fourth, but it was still a 1-2-3 inning as the White Sox maintained the 3-0 lead.

Jeimer Candelario smoked a ball to right-center, but it was caught at the warning track. Miguel Cabrera followed with a hot shot to third and Jonathan Schoop lined out to center to end the inning.

In the end, it proved to be an easy inning for White Sox starter Lucas Giolito but it could be a sign the Tigers bats are coming to life.

Another quick inning for Tigers as White Sox lead, 3-0

Starter Eduardo Rodriguez has settled in, making quick work of the White Sox, throwing 10 pitches as it was another 1-2-3 inning in the top of the fourth.

The Tigers weren't hurt by a misplay from rookie first baseman Spencer Torkelson on a pop fly in foul territory and benefitted from a sliding catch from center fielder Akil Baddoo heading into the bottom of the fourth.

Offense still quiet as Tigers trail White Sox, 3-0

The Tigers hitters continue to be unsure at the plate as Lucas Giolito has been keeping them off balance, nibbling the corners and getting the benefit of a few calls.

Tucker Barnhart and Robbie Grossman both struck out before Austin Meadows drew a two-out walk.

Any hopes of some offense, however, were wiped out when Javier Baez struck out for the second time to end the third inning.

White Sox go down in order but lead Tigers, 3-0

The Tigers had their first easy defensive inning of the season as Eduardo Rodriguez was able to get the White Sox out in order in the third, throwing 15 pitches for a total of 73.

It won't be deep outing for Rodriguez, who might have another inning or two left, depending on how the next couple of innings goes.

On the flip side, the Tigers need to start making something happen against White Sox starter Lucas Giolito

Tigers get first hit but that's it as White Sox lead, 3-0

The Tigers got their first hit of the season when Jonathan Schoop doubled to left-center after Miguel Cabrera led off the second inning with a strikeout on a 3-2 pitch.

Akil Baddoo followed by striking out on a pitch in the dirt before Spencer Torkelson popped up to first in his first career at-bat, stranding Schoop at second as the Tigers headed to the third inning trailing the White Sox, 3-0.

Baez with a gem, but White Sox extend lead to 3-0

While Javier Baez was unable to produce in his first at-bat, it didn't take long for him to prove his worth after signing with the Tigers in the off-season.

With one out in the second, Baez went deep in the hole at shortstop, made a diving stop, spun and threw out Andrew Vaughn at first.

As good as the play was from Baez, it was another long inning for Eduardo Rodriguez, who threw another 27 pitches . A two-out double from Jake Burger led to another White Sox run as Burger scored on a single from AJ Pollock before Pollock scored from first on a double from Luis Robert to extend the lead to 3-0.

Tigers go quietly in the first as White Sox lead 1-0

A leadoff walk to Robbie Grossman was a good start, but the Tigers went down quietly from there in their first at-bat of the season.

Newly acquired Austin Meadows flew out to right, shortstop Javier Baez struck out and Jemier Candelario flew out to center to leave Grossman at first as White Sox starter Lucas Giolito worked quickly and efficiently headed into the second inning with a 1-0 lead.

White Sox take early 1-0 lead on Tigers

It wasn't the start the Tigers or Eduardo Rodriguez were looking for.

Laboring to throw strikes, Rodriguez went to a full count on four of six batters and threw 31 pitches in the top of the first inning as the White Sox took an early 1-0 lead on a RBI single from Eloy Jiminez that scored Jose Abreu.

The scoring hit came as Rodriguez fell behind in the count, something he didn't do in the spring. Rodriguez got out of the inning by striking out Leury Garcia.

Lineup:Here's the Tigers' Opening Day lineup vs. the White Sox

Baseball is back!

New arrivals such as Javier Baez, Eduardo Rodriguez and Spencer Torkelson all make their debut in a Tigers uniform on Friday's Opening Day at Comerica Park, where Detroit will host the reigning AL Central champion Chicago White Sox.

Will the Tigers be able to start their challenge of a division title off on the right foot? Will the White Sox prove that they're even more dangerous than a season ago?

Follow along with live updates from The Detroit News' Matt Charboneau for Tigers vs. White Sox on Opening Day 2022.

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How to watch/listen

Tigers vs. White Sox

► Where: Comerica Park, Detroit

► First pitch: 1:10 p.m. Friday

► TV/radio: BSD/97.1 FM

► Tickets: For ticket information, visit DetroitTigers.com/tickets

► Probable pitchers: Tigers — LHP Eduardo Rodriguez; White Sox — RHP Lucas Giolito