CLEVELAND — Entering the final day of the MLB regular season on Sept. 28, the Guardians knew they would be in the postseason, but the American League Central Division — and homefield advantage in the Wild Card Series — remained up for grabs.
A conclusion was reached, though, while the Guardians and Texas Rangers were in the eighth inning of their matchup at Progressive Field. The Detroit Tigers lost 4-3 at the Boston Red Sox, meaning the Guardians won the AL Central championship for the second year in a row.
It also means the Guardians will be the AL’s No. 3 seed and host the No. 6 seed Tigers in the wild-card round. The best-of-three game series will begin Sept. 30 in Cleveland, with Game 2 on Oct. 1 and Game 3 on Oct. 2, if necessary.
With the division crown captured, Cleveland officially clinched a 15½-game comeback over Detroit.
To put an exclamation point on the regular season, Brayan Rocchio hit a walk-off three-run home run to right field in the bottom of the 10th inning, lifting the Guardians to a 9-8 win over the Rangers.
The video below shows the crowd at Progressive Field cheering after the Tigers lost in Boston, cementing the Guardians as division champions.
Guardians fans react to Cleveland winning AL Central
Relive the moment Guardians fans at Progressive Field knew Cleveland won the AL Central on Sunday, Sept. 28.
Here is how the Guardians (88-74) wrapped up their regular season against the Rangers (81-81) on Sept. 28 at Progressive Field:
Brayan Rocchio hits walk-off home run, and Guardians defeat Rangers 9-8 in 10th inning
After Bo Naylor’s double led off the bottom of the 10th inning, Petey Halpin drew a walk.
With runners on first and second, Rocchio launched his game-winning homer 380 feet off Rangers reliever Jose Corniell.
Bo Naylor began the bottom of the 10th inning with an RBI double, driving automatic runner George Valera home to cut the Rangers’ lead to 8-6.
With no outs in the 10th inning, Rowdy Tellez pinch hit and smashed a three-run home run to right field off Guardians reliever Zak Kent.
Tellez’s 362-foot homer gave the Rangers an 8-5 lead.
In the ninth inning, Jose Ramirez stole second base after singling with two outs. It was Ramirez’s third steal of the game, marking the fifth time in his career he has compiled three steals in a game. It gave Ramirez his 44th steal, a single-season career high. He recorded his previous career high of 41 steals last season.
As Ramirez dived into second base, his helmet fell off and hit him in the face. He was shaken up and checked by medical personnel, but he remained in the game.
The inning ended with George Valera grounding out, sending the game into extra innings.
With no outs in the eighth inning, Bo Naylor and Kyle Manzardo hit back-to-back doubles for the Guardians. Then Brayan Rocchio smacked a sacrifice fly to right field, driving Naylor home and tying the score 5-5.
All of the damage came against Rangers reliever Luis Curvelo. After the score had been tied, the Rangers summoned Jose Corniell from the bullpen to replace Curvelo. Corniell got out of the inning with the score still tied 5-5.
Guardians first baseman Jhonkensy Noel blasted a 394-foot solo home run to center field off Rangers reliever Hoby Milner, trimming Cleveland’s deficit to 5-4 in the seventh inning. Noel’s homer had an exit velocity of 109.7 mph.
After Noel’s one-out home run, Steven Kwan singled, and Angel Martinez drew a walk.
The Rangers replaced Milner with fellow reliever Luis Curvelo. With runners on first and second base, Curvelo induced Jose Ramirez to pop out to shortstop.
With two outs and runners on first and second base, George Valera struck out swinging to end the inning with the Guardians trailing by a run.
Jhonkensy Noel’s defense at first base nearly cost the Guardians dearly Saturday night. It did cost them Sunday, as Noel misplayed a squeeze bunt with a runner on third, and the Rangers now have a 5-3 lead after the top of the sixth.
The Tigers still trail the Red Sox 4-3.
The Guardians cut the deficit to 4-3, but it could have been a much bigger inning.
Cleveland loaded the bases with nobody out in the bottom of the third for Bo Naylor, who drove a ball into center field deep enough to score Angel Martinez from third, making it 4-3.
But from there, Cleveland’s lineup floundered, and with two outs, Brayan Rocchio grounded out to end the inning.
In Boston, the Red Sox have come back to take the lead over the Tigers, 4-3, in the fourth inning.
With Logan Allen struggling to fight traffic on the bases, Jake Burger brought home two more runs with a two-run, broken-bat single into shallow right field, putting the Rangers up 4-2.
And, as a double whammy to Cleveland, the Tigers are now up 3-1 in Boston. If those scores hold, Cleveland would go to Detroit as the No. 6 seed.
The Rangers tied it with one swing against Guardians starter Logan Allen.
With two runners on in the top of the second inning, Alejandro Osuna drilled a two-run double to center field to tie it 2-2.
Meanwhile, in Boston, the Tigers are losing to the Red Sox 1-0.
Johnathan Rodriguez is having a pretty incredible 24 hours.
With two runners in scoring position in the bottom of the first inning, Rodriguez fought off a two-run single down the right-field line that gave the Guardians an early 2-0 lead.
Last night, he belted a two-run home run and drew the walk that eventually led to the game-winning, and playoff-clinching, run.
Below is some pregame information.
David Fry injury update
David Fry, who was hit by a 99 mph pitch to the face, was back in the Guardians clubhouse and spoke to reporters about how he’s been doing.
Guardians starting pitcher today
Cleveland is going with Logan Allen for Sunday’s game against the Rangers, which means he likely won’t be on the Wild Card Series roster for the best-of-3 series. He wouldn’t really be available during the series but could return for the ALDS if the Guardians advance.
Guardians starting lineup todaySteven Kwan, LFAngel Martinez, CFJose Ramirez, DHJohnathan Rodriguez, RFBo Naylor, CGabriel Arias, SSBrayan Rocchio, 2BDaniel Schneemann, 3BJhonkensy Noel, 1BGuardians magic number
Cleveland’s magic number to win the division is one entering Sunday, meaning a Guardians win or a Tigers loss would give Cleveland the No. 3 seed. They would then host the Red Sox or the Tigers.