With back-to-back comeback wins, is Detroit's biggest comeback still to come?

DETROIT -- The Tigers have been developing a penchant for comebacks all season.

After two of their most important of the season, their biggest comeback might be in the works.

“I feel like every team wants to go into the break with some momentum to take into the second half,” said rookie Justyn-Henry Malloy, whose game-tying single and bunt-aided trip around the bases fueled the Tigers’ second straight comeback victory in a 4-3 win Sunday over the Dodgers at Comerica Park. “To be able to do that, especially off of two really exciting games, we’d much rather not have them that tight, but we’ll take them as we can get them.”

The Dodgers were 48-for-48 in converting ninth-inning leads into wins before Saturday. The Tigers rallied in the ninth to beat them twice in as many days.

But it’s more than that with Detroit, which left Minnesota on the Fourth of July at nine games under .500, tied for the fourth-worst record in the American League, having gone a month without back-to-back wins amidst an 8-18 stretch.

The Tigers have won eight of 10 since then, sweeping the Reds in Cincinnati, taking three of four from the AL Central-leading Guardians -- owners of the AL’s best record -- and now, rallying to take two of three from the NL West leaders.

They still have work to do in the division (12 games back) and the Wild Card (seven games back), but in beating some very good teams with a lot on the line, they’ve given reason to believe they’re capable of taking this further, beyond just three more wins to return to the .500 mark.

“I think it’s just showing up every day with the right attitude,” Malloy said. “If you were in this locker room, you wouldn’t know that it was a rough stretch. It was just baseball happening.”

The road trip to Toronto and Cleveland to open the second half doesn’t look as daunting anymore. A nine-game homestand against the Twins, Guardians and Royals looks more like an opportunity than an ending.

With all this momentum, it’s easy to believe they’d rather not have a break. With the way they’ve won the last two days, it’s understandable why they’ll gladly catch their breath.

“Our guys are gassed,” manager A.J. Hinch said. “Those are pretty emotional games the last two days. The break is coming at a good time, and then we’ll reconvene on Thursday and get to the games on Friday. But I’m very proud of our group -- through the tough times and through this nice stretch, and we still have a long way to go to be where we want to be.”

The young players that struggled to adjust to Major League opposition are playing a big role in the turnaround. For much of the stretch, it was Colt Keith, who entered the break with a .395 (17-for-43) tear, five home runs and 13 RBIs over his last 12 games, including Saturday’s game-tying two-run homer. But others are close behind in the resurgence, including Malloy, who’s batting .303 (10-for-33) in July after a .175 June.

Hinch had Malloy up to pinch-hit for Andy Ibáñez in the ninth before Zach McKinstry’s line drive landed inside the right-field line for a leadoff triple to put the tying run on third against right-hander Yohan Ramírez. The situation didn’t change his mind.

“Malloy is becoming more and more comfortable in the box,” Hinch said. “Obviously, he’s crushed lefties, but since he’s been up here, he’s had some really good swings against righties. And one of the adjustments that he’s made is he’s opened up the entire field.

“He was going to hit either way, but the game situation called for him to use the middle of the field. Get the ball to the outfield and Zach scores. The fact that [Malloy] got the base hit is a bonus."

Once Malloy sent a fastball back up the middle for the game-tying single, the Tigers applied pressure, and the Dodgers made mistakes. Ryan Vilade’s bunt moved Malloy to second, but Ramírez’s fumble meant no outs recorded anywhere. It also meant Wenceel Pérez -- whose misread of a Will Smith fly ball contributed to a three-run Dodgers first inning -- could bunt Malloy to third.

Ramírez fielded Pérez’s bunt cleanly, but his aggressive throw to third went wide. Malloy popped up from his side and scored easily.

“I just wanted to make sure I touched home,” Malloy said.

With that, the Tigers could celebrate. Again. And then breathe.

“It’s kinda like we want to keep playing. When’s the next game,” Malloy smiled. “But also, we’ve played a lot of baseball.”

Their best might be still to come.