Today, the MLB postseason returns to Detroit for the first time in 10 years.
The Detroit Tigers — amid a miraculous, two-month run that saw them move from 10 games outside the playoff picture in early August to the final American League wild-card berth — host the Cleveland Guardians for Game 3 of the ALDS today at Comerica Park (3:08 p.m., TBS).
>> LIVE: Tigers-Guardians game updates
It's the first playoff game at Comerica Park since 2014, when the Tigers were swept by the Baltimore Orioles in the ALDS. It's expected to be an electric atmosphere, with 41,000-plus fans inside the park , as the Tigers now hold home-field advantage after tying the series at 1-1 on Monday .
Before the game, the Tigers are inviting fans to attend a free pregame block party outside Comerica Park on Witherell Street. Gates will open at noon.
Follow our live updates from Detroit as we cover the fan experience downtown.
This story will continue to update.
3:45 p.m.: Echoes at the corner of Michigan and Trumbull
Moments after the Tigers took an early 1-0 lead, the sounds of bats cracking and baseballs hitting mitts echoed off the buildings surrounding the corner of Michigan and Trumbull. But it wasn't Detroit's playoff teams, or the ghosts of Tiger legends, returning to their old stomping grounds for one more swing.
The Schoolcraft College Ocelots baseball team practices at Corner Ballpark, the smaller field erected on what was once old Tigers Stadium. Coaches worked with pitchers on the side, a few players hit balls off a tee and several people hit live pitching in a version of a simulated game. Everyone appeared attentive, but clearly they were aware of the game down the road.
"Three more outs," yelled one player from a dugout, as others ran back onto the field. "Let's go, get home and watch the Tigers game."
3:15 p.m.: 'Detroit really needs this'
Fans came from near and far.
Sandy Halinski grew up in metro Detroit and drove down from her home in Haslett, near Lansing.
"It's outstanding, I think the city of Detroit really needs this," Halinski said.
Blake Ortbring, 29, of Detroit, said he is happy to support the Tigers during these historic playoffs.
"The city feels so much more alive when the sports teams do good, especially when the Tigers are good," Ortbring said. "It's a great feeling to be able to come out here and support the area, come downtown."
Keith Woolfolk, 63, is another Detroiter. He has been a loyal Detroit Tigers fan since 1969.
"No matter what record they have, the people still support them, so I'm really proud of Detroit's fan base," Woolfolk said.
Jerry Kelly, 66, of Warren, said he has been supporting the Tigers since 1965 and came downtown to check out the fan atmosphere.
"Good team, good atmosphere and it's a good environment, today is good weather so I hope ... the Tigers come out on top," Kelly said.
Chad Gould, 40, of Allendale, drove across the state and got a Tiger painted on his face to show his support for the team and the city.
"I love Michigan, I love Detroit and it gets a bad rap and I love this place," Gould said. "Of all the cities I've ever been to, Detroit is my favorite."
Gould said the mood among fans was upbeat.
"Electric, electric," Gould said. "It's like when your hair stands on end but in a good way."
— Jenna Prestininzi
2:45 p.m.: Novi man saw Carpenter's home run in person
There wasn't much that could keep Eric Rychlinski from Wednesday's game. The 36-year-old bartender from Novi was at Monday's game in Cleveland when Carpenter hit the magical home run in the ninth inning.
"We went insane!," Rychlinski said, grinning as he recalled the hush of silence that fell over the Cleveland ballpark. "You could have heard a pin drop in the stadium. It was incredible."
He added: "I had a feeling."
For Wednesday's game, the committed Tigers fan came prepared. He brought a baseball glove with him.
"I'm hoping to catch a home run," he said, adding, a Carpenter home run would be especially nice.
— Tresa Baldas
2:22 p.m.: 'It's a memory," worth $775 to Grand Rapids family
Taking the family to the Tigers playoff game didn't come cheap for the Sowle family of Grand Rapids. But the $775 they shelled out for four tickets was oh so worth it.
"It's a memory," said Mike Sowle, a police officer who also once worked as a cop in Detroit.
While being back in the Motor City was not only thrilling for Dad on Wednesday, it was perhaps most exhilarating for his 8-year-old son Nolan.
"He watched nearly every single game, even when it was hopeless," said the boy's mom, Jen Sowle, who recalled her son's obsession with the team.
No matter where they were over the summer, she said, Nolan insisted they find a radio or a TV to tune into the game — even when the family was camping.
The whole family got into the Tigers. mom, dad, and Nolan's 11-year-old brother James..
It was hard not to.
As mom put it, "They just kept pushing."
The kids, meanwhile, have a message for the Tigers today: "Crush em!"
— Tresa Baldas
2:14 p.m.: 'Never leave a game early'
Margaret and Charles Stanhouse, of Romulus, have a philosophy when it comes to watching the Tigers.
"We never leave a game early — because you never know," said Margaret Stanhouse, a 61-year-old dentist who took the day off to watch her beloved Tigers.
She said it was her husband who taught her the importance of sticking it out at a game.
Charles Stanhouse said he learned that determination while growing up in northwest Detroit, where he played Little League and Babe Ruth baseball as a kid.
It was drilled into his head: "It ain't over til it's over."
And if anyone has proven that, he said, it's the Tigers.
As his wife put it: "If you leave a game early — shame on you."
— Tresa Baldas
It's a historic day in downtown Detroit. So naturally, we sent our "On Guard" reporter and columnist, M.L. Elrick, around the park to capture the scene.
He's talking to Tigers fans, vendors, security guards, box office employees and more, giving us an inside look at why October baseball is so special in the Motor City.
Watch the video playlist below for the latest from Elrick; we'll add more as the day goes on.
— Brian Manzullo
2:04 p.m.: 'Underdogs have to come from somewhere'
Nothing made Kevin Allen Lamb's mother happier than Tigers baseball. It wasn't the wins or a pennant push. Instead, the Oxford native said it was its capacity to bring her family together.
And so, a year after her death, when it became clear the Tigers would face Cleveland —which much of the Lamb family calls home — Kevin, 39, knew he had to attend.
As luck would have it, his cousin Nolan Ryan (not the baseball legend but a fan in his own right) happened to be in town for work. So the pair, who hadn't seen each other in years, shared a few beers at the classic Elwood Grill ahead of the first pitch.
"What she loved about baseball wasn't who we were rooting for, it's that it brought us together," Kevin said, wearing Tigers gear and ribbing his Cleveland-loving cousin.
They squeezed themselves into one of the wooden tables, as scores of fans streamed by. A man in a Miguel Cabrera jersey brought a bucket of bubbles, blowing them outside Ford Field. People laughed, clapped and headed into Comerica Park.
This moment, with this team facing a storied foe, on a beautiful day in what's rapidly becoming a successful sports town, can't go ignored.
"It's a reminder to embrace the unexpected and leave space to be surprised. The world can be difficult and challenging, but it can also be extraordinary," Kevin said. "Miracles come from somewhere underdogs have to come from somewhere. ... We're in Detroit on a Wednesday and we're being reminded that we live in a country that honors baseball."
— Dave Boucher
1:51 p.m.: Longing for a Tigers World Series win 'since birth'
Walking down Woodward Avenue with his son, Jordan Delling was all smiles as he headed to the Tigers game.
The 40-year old father was born the year the Tigers won the 1984 World Series.
The die-hard Tigers fan has been waiting his whole life for another big win.
Admittedly, he says, "We didn't expect them to get this far."
But all the comeback wins this year changed that — especially after Carpenter's heart-stopping home run in Cleveland the other night.
"It's been a fun ride. It makes you have hope right now," Delling said, grinning ear to ear.
His 11-year-old son Jackson agreed.
"I've wanted to watch the Tigers win the World Series since birth," said Jackson, a Little League player himself.
He's feeling hopeful, too.
"Go Tigers!" He screamed.
— Tresa Baldas
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Tigers fans celebrate return of MLB postseason: Live updates from downtown Detroit
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