Detroit Tigers’ Cecil Fielder goes up on the rooftop… again [Video]

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July 2, 1993. A Detroit Tigers team that’d found themselves up 2 games in AL East on June 20 (43-25), suddenly found themselves 4.5 games back after a whopping ten-game losing streak. Starters Mike Moore, John Doherty, and David Wells were taking losses left and right – each dropped two apiece during the streak.

So heading into that evening’s matchup with the Texas Rangers, the Tigers were approaching desperation. Yes, it was still early July, but the city could already feel playoff position slipping (this is a pre-wild card era, mind you). With the Rangers steadily building a 4-0 lead heading into the bottom of the 8th, things were looking bleak.

But then it began to happen. Tony Phillips: leadoff single. Dan Gladden: single. Rangers starting pitcher – Kevin Brown steps out. Matt Whiteside, in. But the rally continued. Travis Fryman blasted a double to the gap, scoring Phillips and Gladden. Suddenly, it was a 4-2 ballgame and the Corner had come alive, knowing their trump card was stepping into the batter’s box.

Cecil Fielder was 0-2 up to that point of the Friday evening affair. Pretty standard night for Fielder: flyout, walk, strikeout. But as was often the case with Big Daddy, it just took one swing, and Cecil wasted no time. Upon the first delivery from Whiteside, Fielder pounced, delivering a high, arching blast that’d leave the ball in transit for 12 seconds, ricocheting off the roof before dropping lifelessly in the sea of fans below. Tie ballgame. Mayhem.

The Tigers would ride their momentum into the 10th, when another blast from the past, Mickey Tettleton, would connect on a two-out walk-off rocket to left. Detroit’s 10-game losing streak was history, and they’d lived to fight another day.

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W.G. Brady
W.G. Brady is a Detroit-based journalist who has been covering the Detroit sports scene for Detroit Sports Nation for several years. He is in his early 30s and has a wealth of experience in the industry. Throughout his career, W.G. has established himself as a respected and knowledgeable journalist known for his in-depth coverage of the teams and athletes in Detroit. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for sports, W.G. has become a go-to source for fans and readers looking for the latest news and analysis on the Detroit sports scene. He has a good reputation in the sports community and is respected for his unbiased coverage of sports events. W.G. is known for his ability to uncover hidden stories and provide unique perspectives on the teams and athletes he covers. He has a good understanding of the city of Detroit and its sports culture, which he uses to inform his reporting and analysis. He continues to be a respected journalist in the Detroit sports industry.