And this evening I gleefully eat crow.

Justin Verlander or no, I didn’t expect the Tigers to win Game 5. After Wednesday night’s deflating extra-inning loss, my typically optimistic self thought the Tigers had run out of gas and that the Rangers were just too hot to lose.

Texas was making the most of their opportunities — lord knows they (and the Tigers with much less success) have had plenty this series — and how long could Detroit’s worn out pitching staff keep Michael Young and Adrian Beltre, the only Rangers not scorching the ball these days, in check? Not long, at least in the case of the former.

When Young doubled in the first inning, that queasy feeling of doom washed over me. Then I got angry: No way Verlander wilts in this situation. He didn’t.

Despite what some wrote, Verlander was terrific. Untouchable? No. But he had enough stuff, grit and determination to get the outs he needed at just the right time.

These same observers are saying the Tigers were lucky to win this game. Well, yeah — and it’s about time a bounce went Detroit’s way. And an ice-cold hitter hit a home run. And a starter went deep into the game. And someone other than Joaquin Benoit and Jose Valverde got the final outs. And a packed Comerica Park trembled one more time.

If the Tigers go on to win this series, imagine how we’ll remember a beaten down Alex Avila at last delivering a key hit with an opposite field home run, or how iconic Miguel Cabrera‘s sixth-inning double off the third-base bag will become in Detroit sports lore. Or Victor Martinez‘s triple when the man can hardly walk. Or Delmon Young‘s two rockets to left-center that put him in elite company in the Tigers’ postseason record book.

With Max Scherzer going in Game 6 — the first time the Tigers have been in a postseason Game 6 since 1968 — you have to feel good, don’t you? My guess is that he feels he has some unfinished business after Game 2 and will be on a mission Saturday night.

For now though, I’m going to savor this win and the crow I was forced to eat after not so much doubting the Tigers’ grit, but recognizing the offensive buzz saw that’s the Texas Rangers right now.

And you know what? Jim Leyland seems to be having the time of his life in this series. Perhaps it’s time I stop fretting every pitch and just enjoy the ride too.

Who’s with me?

As Rick Porcello was crafting a beautiful outing through the first five innings, I allowed myself think about the Tigers heading back to Texas with a 3-2 series lead. I should’ve known better; the Tigers were up only 2-0 and the Rangers were just waiting in the weeds for the right moment to get back into the game.

When David Murphy, who’s become as irritating as David DeJesus, lined a single to left to leadoff the sixth … I had a bad feeling. No way Porcello can lose steam that fast, I thought. Ahem. All of a sudden the Tigers are losing and, well, you know.

But then Brandon Inge hit a game-tying homer in the seventh and maybe there’s more magic to be seen.

Once the game went into extra innings, my optimism all but evaporated. Hopeful, yes. Optimistic? No. Much like in Game 2, it doesn’t much matter what the final score was on Wednesday night. The chance to extend the season rests in the hands of Justin Verlander. Even if he does, how confident are you that the Tigers bats will be able to deliver one win much less three?

Me? Not so much. At least not at the moment.

Over the weekend I came across a Tigers program, excuse me, magazine from 2001 with Steve Sparks on the cover. Inside there’s an article reviewing the Tigers’ draft from that year and it includes some notables:

Fifth Round (147th overall pick): 3B Ryan Raburn, South Florida Junior College. Raburn is a 6-0, 185-pound third baseman who swings a strong bat from the righthand side of the plate. He is solid defensively at third base and he has the potential to develop plus power.

Eighth Round (237th overall pick): SS Donald Kelly, Point Park College. The second-highest player ever drafted from Pointe Park College, Kelly is a tall, lanky, true shortstop with a plus arm. The 6-4, 190-pounder was named the 2001 American Mideast Conference Player of the Year after leading Point Park with a .450 batting average, 68 hits, 45 runs and 39 stolen bases. In both 2000 and 2001, Kelly was named First-Team All-American Mideast Conference at shortstop.

Here are a couple one-time Tigers you’ll recognize:

Third Round (87th overall pick): 3B John Hannahan, University of Minnesota. The 6-2, 205-pound Hannahan is a lefty swinging third sacker who Tigers scouts describe as a real grinder and a good solid player. (We knew John, of course, as Jack.)

Fourth Round (117th overall pick): C Michael Rabelo, University of Tampa. Rabelo swings the bat well from both sides of the plate, possesses a plus arm and is very intelligent.

By the by, Detroit’s first-round pick that year (11th overall) was Kenny Baugh out of Rice University. The second-round selections included RHP Preston Larrison from University of Evansville (55th overall), and Matthew Coenen out of Charleston Southern University (65th overall).

Not a stellar draft, but at least 10 years later there are a couple of players impacting this team’s postseason run.

I’ll admit it. As this game got started I feared the Tigers and Doug Fister were doomed for a 2-1 loss.

From early on it was clear that Fister brought his A-game, but it wasn’t clear the offense showed up at all — evident by the ridiculous pitches Miguel Cabrera and poor Alex Avila and just about everyone else in the lineup were flailing at in their first at bats.

But then Austin Jackson started getting on base, beginning with a single in the first — and then two more hits on the night to finish 3 for 5 with an RBI. And before you knew it, Victor Martinez went yard to tie it at one. And Cabrera untied it, Jhonny Peralta extended the lead … and in the meantime Fister continued to keep the Rangers in check.

The key story lines leading into Game 4 will be:

• Can Rick Porcello deliver and give Justin Verlander a series tied at two apiece?
• What’s the deal with Martinez and will he be healthy enough to play?
• With a lefty starting for the Rangers, will we see Delmon Young or is his season kaput?

Something else to wonder: Is Jackson thawing out or was Game 3 a fluke? On second thought, let’s worry about that later.

For now, the Tigers have made this series more interesting, even if it’s just for one night.