Báez tied the game at 3 with a 407-foot solo homer in the fifth off a hanging curveball from Pirates lefty starter Bailey Falter. He added another in the seventh, crushing a 410-foot shot to nearly the same spot off reliever Carmen Mlodzinski to extend the Tigers’ lead.

The Detroit Tigers hold the best record in MLB at 46-27, leading the AL Central by nine games. Most major outlets rank the Tigers as the No. 1 team in baseball, including USA TODAY, ESPN, Sports Illustrated,