Dan Dickerson inadvertently voiced what many Tigers fans were feeling after a tough season finale.
On Friday night, the veteran Tigers radio announcer was caught on a live mic, expressing frustration with a loud expletive following Detroit’s heart-wrenching loss to the Mariners in Game 5 of the ALDS, which stretched into the 15th inning.
After an intense game lasting almost five hours, capped by a walk-off single from Seattle’s Jorge Polanco, a visibly shaken Dickerson didn’t seem inclined to break down the game alongside his partner Dan Petry. Instead, he pondered, “What else is there to talk about?”
Warning: Explicit language
In a candid moment, he said, “No need to play games…oh shit. Please tell me what this game is about…oh, sorry, was I too loud?”
Dickerson later issued a statement apologizing for the slip, explaining that it was an unintentional moment of frustration.
He said, “I would like to sincerely apologize for the abusive language I used during the break after last night’s game. Our mic was inadvertently left open. It was said in a moment of frustration and doesn’t reflect how I felt about summarizing the game…just how I felt after a five-hour, 15-inning, season-ending loss. I’m truly sorry our fans had to hear that.” He expressed regret once more.
The Tigers initially led the game with Kelly Carpenter’s two-run homer in the sixth inning, while ace Tarik Skubal put forth a remarkable performance, allowing just one run over six innings and striking out 13, a record for a winner-take-all postseason game.
However, the Mariners tied the game shortly after Skubal exited, and the score remained locked until the late hours. This contest turned out to be the longest winner-take-all postseason game in MLB history, running for 15 innings and featuring 13 pitching changes.
Painfully for the Tigers, Polanco’s single into right field finally sealed the game, ending Detroit’s hopes.
“We have nothing to bow down to. We’ll have ample time to reflect on the season, its highs and lows, but I’m immensely proud of the team for their effort tonight,” remarked Tiger manager AJ Hinch. “We fought hard to extend our season.”
The Tigers’ season, which had begun with high aspirations, ended disappointingly, while the Mariners advanced with hopes of making their first ALCS appearance since 2001.
