Small Ball, Big Win: Cleveland Guardians Take Down Detroit Tigers AGAIN

Guardians win. They beat Trick Scooble. Last three starts for Scooble. All losses for the Tigers. This game had a little bit of everything and it all kind of fell apart for them quickly. Tigers look like they were in control of this one. Guardians win it 5-2 and they’ve beaten the Tigers in four straight. The losing skate for Detroit is seven in a row. And we can get into some intricacies here, but I do want to point this out as well, AJ. They struck out 19 times. 19 times. And there were a few questionable calls for both sides. Umps definitely had some terrible performances yesterday. And whoever was in control of home plate yesterday in that game was bad. But 19 strikeouts for the Tigers bats. You’re not going to win many games like that. Oh, Williams was awesome for them for for the for the Guardians. 12 punch outs in six innings. Only to continue their streak of two earned runs or less. their bullpen came in and did what it did with Sabrowski who we had on the show in spring training, Hunter Gatis and then Cage Smith. But I mean, school ball was in control of this game and still the Guardians started playing small ball, which is why I still think bunts are effective. I think bunts in big situations are effective, especially if you have dudes with speed and put pressure on the other team because Steven Quan leads off with an infield sing infield bunt hit. You’re like, “Ah, no big deal.” And then next thing you know, they bunt again. Scooble tries to hike it to first. It goes away. Then then Josie Ramirez hits a seven hopper to the third baseman. They can’t get any outs on. Then a b a wild pitch and then prayers for David Fry. Please pray. I mean I know I think he’s okay but that was one of the worst things I’ve ever seen when he took a fast ball right to the face. I know it hit the bat but still. So prayers to David Fry. You saw Scubble’s reaction next pitch. Wild pitch to score a run. I mean this was this they they scored three runs and didn’t hit a ball that got to the dirt of the infield which is crazy. So, I mean, kudos to the Guardians and Gavin Williams, but man, Scuba was in control of this game until small ball kicked in. So, I don’t know why more teams don’t do it. This is why people don’t do small ball because had the had the Tigers just gotten the out, taken the out that they were giving them and not tried to hike the ball, not got unlucky with a 99 mph fast that hit off of Hosy’s knuckles, not flinched on the bulk. That’s why organization teams are like, I’m not I I can’t rely on bunting. We got to rely on the home run. You have to have some type of blend. And I disagree with what Scott said. They said, “Oh, the Guardians took the game.” I think the Tigers gave them the game. If these are the two teams that are playing in the playoffs, you’re like, “Are we going to see any hits?” Like, they’re just wasn’t Riley had the had the home run. Uh Wel Perez had the double. seemed like they were in control of the game, but it just was kind of a hitting game. And Gavin Williams, shoot, he just listened to AJ and was like, “Oh, I’ll just throw this curveball. They can’t hit it.” And they never made the adjustment. They would take the balls and swing. I mean, they would take the strikes and swing at the balls. It was a bad recipe for the for the Tigers hitters. Top four, bases loaded, one out. Yeah, there was a lot of situ 3-2 count. He drops a curveball in also. Let’s not forget in that situation. Then he got the next guy to swinging a ball in this in this drag zone. I mean, Austin Hedges did did an unbelievable job getting Gavin Williams through this game. He deserves a lot of credit. But Scooball was in control of this game until they started bunning. That’s why I think Bunning should be a part of something. I’ve seen it happen too many times. It’s not that you just especially if you have a bunch of fast guys like the Guardians Quan and who was I forget who hit second for him. Uh the center fielder uh gez I just went hold on I went blank on his name. Uh Martinez. Oh I know. Yeah. Yeah. Anhill Martinez bunted then right. I mean Quan hit a perfect bunt to start it off. You’re like Scooby like ah okay we’re up two nothing. No big deal. Then Martinez punched the ball to first and that’s when Scubble panicked and b and you know threw it over the head and that’s when that’s when all heck broke loose after that for the for the Guardians. So small ball still can win you games. If you can’t hit homers, you got to try small ball and teams aren’t used to defending it. That’s why I think the Brewers are so successful because teams aren’t used to defending this little stuff. But they’re tied now in the standings and Cleveland has the tiebreaker. The biggest thing for Cleveland, they got to win one of the next two. If they win one of the next two, they’re in great shape. They control their own destiny going into the last three games because they’d essentially be two games up. If they win one of the next two games, they would have a oneame lead. That is really a twoame lead. No, no, no. They’re tied. They’re tied right now. So, if they win one of the next two, they split. All right. If they win the next two, that’s over. Right. Right. Right. You can cancel it. They’re split. They’re tied. But Cleveland has the tiebreaker. So, if they split, if they split the next two, Cleveland controls their own destiny, right? And they’ll both go with three games left and Detroit’s got to go to Boston. Yes. And Cleveland has Texas, who Bruce Bochi said basically quit last night. Yeah, they’re throwing out, I think, some of their better starters, but whatever. I mean, well, Deg Gro’s pitching tonight, so they ain’t going to see him. Well, couldn’t he pitch? Well, Thursday, today’s Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday. They ain’t bringing him back short. No. So, Deg Gro’s pitching tonight, so he’s done. I think they might see Kelly in that series. But anyway, would you rather see Deg Grom or Kelly? No, not close. I’d obviously rather see Kelly. Wait, one more thing on this game. So, Cody Stavenhagen brought this up. He said there were two outs when AJ Hinch brought in Kyle Finnegan to face Steven Quan, righty against lefty. Quan has a 774 OPS against right-handed pitching, only 590 against left-handed pitching. Cody said Hinch went with his best arm in the moment, but for a manager who has obsessed over matchups, it’s one of the oddest decisions in his Tigers tenure. Do you guys agree? No. No. Splitter. Quan’s numbers against a splitter aren’t very good. So, you’re getting a guy that you have to get him to put the ball in play. And I think I I I didn’t disagree with that. Righty lefty doesn’t always apply. Some guys have better splits, but some guy who is he gonna who was he going to go to down there? To me, I thought I thought Finnegan was the guy. He knew his season, not season on the line, but the game was on the line. Had to stay exactly where it was. I like going to Finnegan, not just the robot. Oh, we need a lefty. We need somebody different. You want to You want to go out there and win the or win or lose the game with your best pitchers on the mount. He went to he went to Tommy Kanley right out of the gate in the whatever that was sixth or seventh inning when Scubble came out. Yeah, but Keanley hasn’t had a good year this year. That’s that’s also not Keley is not like Kanley’s lights out. They The problem is they don’t have anybody down there. We We went through it yesterday. Kley’s got a four and a half RA. He went to Finnegan to try to clean up Keanley’s mess right from the hit and the walk and then so he’s like, “Oh boy, here we go.” and he went to his best guy who’s been his best guy to try to hold it at three to2 hoping against Hope that they wouldn’t score and then they not once they put those two once it made it five to two that game was over. I mean it was it was it was just over. I mean what’s he supposed to do? He went to Finnegan to try to save the the the game. I mean he did the right I think it was the right move. Who else he going to go to? We went to their bullpen yesterday. Who’s he going to go to? It ain’t it ain’t like they have tons of strikeout dudes down there. No. Quan’s more than likely going to put the ball in play. He went to the guy he thought gave him the best chance. It is not a swing and miss bullpen. We knew that. They knew that trade deadline they said just bring in everyone. But then look at Cleveland. So Gavin Williams struck out 12 in six innings. They go to Sabrki two two punchies in one. He’s nasty. He’s filthy. Hunter Gatis, three punchies, one inning. And then Kate Smith, two punchies, one inning. Their bullpen is much better. Now we’ll go to the Kanley did strike out too, right? Okay. He walked the nine hitter. He did. And then Finnegan, zero strikeouts. Herder zero strikeouts, Montto zero strikeouts. To me, there’s your difference. There is a very extreme difference between what Cleveland’s throwing out there in the late innings and what the Tigers are putting out there in the late innings, right? I mean, that’s the clearcut difference right now. Does Detroit have a better offense? Yeah, I would say so, right? There’s better offense. Cleveland, I mean, might make the playoffs with one of the lowest ranked offenses we’ve seen in the sport in a while, but I would say the starting pitching is a wash maybe with those two because Scoo I would say Cleveland start right now pitching. Mai has been struggling. I mean, yeah, Flarity has been really good the second half. Parker Messik’s been unbelievable. So, I I would right now I think you would have to take the Guardians pitching as a whole. Yep. And they’re they’re playing better D. They’re there’s better even at bats even though the offense might not be as potent. So, this is the first time the Tigers are not leading the American League Central since April. And the Guardians were 15 and a half games back on July 8th, 12 and a half games back on August 25th. They were nine and a half games back on September 10th, two weeks ago. Nine and a half games back and here they are. Well, they’re 16-2 in their last 18. Yeah, they’re on fire. Tigers haven’t won in a long time. School, by the way, is scheduled to start Sunday. They’re going to probably need them to start on Sunday and that messes them up. And then that screws them if they do get into the post. These two teams gonna have to play again in the first round, by the way, if things stay where they’re at. So they Guardians are like, “Oh yeah, please pitch school.” The qu the question is is if do the do the Tigers if it gets to Sunday do they just say you know what Scoobs you’re pitching Tuesday in Cleveland we’ll be the we’ll be the wild card yeah do that do you concede that yeah because you’re going to be a wild card team regardless let’s say let’s say they’re tied going to the last day and Cleveland has the tiebreaker every game starts at the same time do you make a decision if you’re AJ Hench and say, “We’re going to give it up.” So, we have our best guy going game one because there’s no guarantee if you win and the Guardians win, you don’t get you don’t still don’t get the division. So, you’re saying they’re already in, right? And this is a fight for the division, which is essentially a fight for home field in the wild card. Yeah. I’m I’m saving Scooble. What about you? I’m probably going to save him. Probably gonna I’m probably going to concede and say, “You know what? I got to fight a bigger fight in in two days.” I most scenarios I might do differently, but they’re so scubable reliant. I know they’ve lost last three with him, but Kratz, I would save them. What about you? I’d save them. I You have to figure out how to win once you’re in. Doesn’t matter if you’re the home or away team vis, you know, the hosting team or not. You got to win 11 games. I think that’s 11 now. Three. No, you got to win 13 games from the wild card. That’s it. And one of them. You can’t you can’t win 13 without Scooble going as many times as possible. Look how far they got last year with Scubble going. Yeah. So, you save them. You need them for that time period. And then they have the tiebreaker, but they might need to win that. The Astros. Yes. The Tigers have the tiebreaker. The Astros are screwed on tiebreers. The Astros are two behind the Tigers right now, even though they’re only one because the tiebreaker. Mhm. So tough tough sledding for the Astros right now, especially after the way they’re swinging the bat last four games. They went out to Sacramento and got just did not look good last night. No, that was pitiful. It’s a tough to pop up. No. I mean, it was hard. I’m like slicing and dicing with games. Which one? Stayed up to watch his jump. I did watch a good chunk of the game, man. You watch you watch like Detroit and Cleveland because Cleveland got a ton of walk-ups and so they had 30 something thousand people there. It was good vibe. And then you watch the game in Sacramento and you hear every conversation going on on the broadcast and I mean it it feels like you went from a major league game to a minor league game. You see the guys running out to left field the whole bench to go take some swings. It’s it’s pathetic. I just don’t want to overlook that. Yeah. Christian Walker wanted no part to do with a Brent Rooker popup. Nothing. And Kareah’s running in and Javier’s looking around like nobody’s going to get it. I guess I’ll do what pitchers can’t do and try to catch his popup. And it was like I mean it looked like high school popup practice. Like went went be over his glove. He like reached for it, missed it. Not good. They’re not they’re not looking good. Yeah. They’re not scoring in Sacramento where you can definitely pour it on where Yeah. you should get hot. Yeah. Uh let’s get to But listen, the thing about Sacramento is people have said it’s not a fun place to play. And by the way, Sacramento or Oakland Sacramento A’s, whatever the hell they’re called now, they hit their over, by the way. Just saying. Oh, for wins. Yes, that was a big one for you. Huge luck of the year. That was your fivear was ever going to No, we all believed in you. 71 and a half. We believed in you before the season. 71 and a half was the number. Okay. We believed Just want to clarify, we believed in you before the season. Then they lost like 20 in a row and we didn’t believe in you. And then we jumped back. Mets. I’m staying the course with the Mets. And you saw the Mets did last night. Yeah, I was bold. You were We were on with Mendy and he was just like, “Mendy, you’re in. Don’t worry about it.” And he’s like, “Okay, lock it in.” Like, “No, you’re in.” You saw what happened last night. We are going to spend a nice little segment. Red’s lost, too, and they got a skins today. Ski green. But yes, it’s still it is very interesting. It’s like not like we last time Hunter Green pitched, I was there. He threw a CG, should have had a no hitter, gave up one hit, and they won one to nothing. It’s not like this Red’s offense is is potent. No, their offense is trash, which we’re gonna get to. But let’s wrap up this segment because then we’ll get to the AL East. Shout out to Lids. They’ll be part of the mix with us for the next few weeks on FT. Yes, I’ll talk. You show off the lid. Uh Am I allowed to show it? Am I allowed to show uh or do you tease it? Let’s tease it. Tease it to the end. Okay. But we can let everyone know what nobody knows what the team is. So everybody’s got a guess. What lids is it? Send us a guess in the chat right now. It’s a Philly’s hat. I mean, we’re not that dumb. Text territory to 29017 and you get 20% off your next headwear or apparel purchase at any US lid store. We’ll do crats at the end. We’ll also do a little breaking of a Topps chrome box that I have here for AJ and I to enjoy. Again, 29017 and get yourself 20% off your next headwear or apparel purchase at any US lid store. This is how FT does what it does. Thanks to lids for supporting us during the stretch

The Cleveland Guardians keep rolling, beating Tarik Skubal and the Detroit Tigers 5–2 for their fourth straight win over Detroit. Gavin Williams was dominant with 12 strikeouts in six innings, and the Guardians used small ball to spark a decisive rally. The Tigers struck out 19 times and have now dropped seven in a row, losing their grip on the AL Central. We also break down David Fry’s scary HBP, A.J. Hinch’s bullpen moves, and why Cleveland now controls its postseason destiny.

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