Tigers leave multiple runners on-base, bullpen implodes as Guardians use 5-run eighth inning to rally and take Game 2Top 9th
Tigers are down to their final three outs, with Torres grounding out to Rocchio for the first out. Smith walks Carpenter in five pitches, then he hits Torkelson on the left elbow as the Tigers now have runners on first and second again. Justyn-Henry Malloy draws a 3-0 count but Smith fights back to strike him out, then Pérez’s ground ball is bobbled by Rocchio for an error as the bases are loaded. Smith stays on the mound to face Dingler, as Rocchio jumps and catches a high line drive to end the game.
Bottom 8thNaylor hits three-run homer, Tigers now trail 6-1 with three outs remaining
Melton walks RamÃrez and that ends his day, as Brant Hurter comes in with runners on first and second for the Guardians. Manzardo grounds out as the runners move to second and third with two outs, Naylor hits one to right field and it’s gone for a three-run homer. Arias hits a grounder for the third out but the damage is done and the Guardians take a commanding lead.
Rocchio hits Guardians’ second homer of the day, Schneemann’s RBI-double extends lead as Tigers trail 3-1 in eighth inning
Troy Melton comes in to pitch for the Tigers as Kayfus grounds out to first base, then Rocchio comes up and sends a fastball deep to right field for a home run as the Guardians retake the lead. The Guardians keep the hits coming as Kwan hits a sharp liner down the right-field line for a double, then Schneemann swings at first pitch and hits a double to right field as well to bring Kwan home.
Top 8th
Jakob Junis comes up as the fifth pitcher today for the Guardians, as he gets Dingler to ground out. McKinstry works from an 0-2 count to draw his second walk today, then steals second base as Báez also grounds out. That was a quick run for Junis, as closer Cade Smith comes in to strikeout Meadows.
Bottom 7th
Finnegan gets Naylor to fly out to McKinstry, who now sits at left field after a few defensive substitutions. New third baseman Andy Ibáñez gets the throw to Torkelson in time for the out to Arias, then DeLauter hits a loud lineout to Meadows in center field for the last out of the seventh inning.
Top 7th
Torres is hit by a pitch from Gaddis and moves to first base, then Carpenter’s ground ball gets away from Rocchio for a single as Torres moves to third with no outs. Gaddis stays on the mound and pitches to Torkelson, who flies out to Kwan but it isn’t deep enough to send Torres home. Gaddis is replaced by Tim Herrin and Jahmai Jones pinch-hits for Greene, as Jones works to a full count before swinging and missing at a low curveball. Pérez fouls off multiple pitches before whiffing at a high fastball for the third out as the Tigers again leave runners stranded.
Bottom 6th
Kwan pops out in just two pitches but that’s the last batter Holton faces today as Kyle Finnegan is on the mound now, and the Guardians make two pinch-hitting substitutions to Daniel Schneemann. Schneemann strikes out after just three pitches, then Finnegan walks RamÃrez in five pitches to face Manzardo and get him to ground out.
Top 6th
Pérez works to a full count before popping out to the infield for the first out, then Dingler’s full count ends with him taking a six-pitch walk to first base. McKinstry strikes out swinging as Sabrowski’s getting replaced on the mound by Hunter Gaddis. Báez gets another single past the infield, but Meadows flies out to center field for the third out.
Bottom 5th
Arias swings and misses at a low changeup for the first out, then DeLauter grounds out to Torres at second base. Kayfus hits a ground ball to left field for a single, but Rocchio grounds out to McKinstry at third for the last out of the fifth inning.
Top 5th
Bibee stays in to pitch as Meadows flies out to Kwan in left field, then Torres strikes out in just three pitches. Carpenter hits a line drive to center field for a single, then Torkelson draws a four-pitch walk as Stephen Vogt comes from the dugout and Bibee’s day is done. Erik Sabrowski is in at reliever as Greene swings at first pitch but it’s a line drive to DeLauter for the third out.
Bottom 4th
After replay, umpires took away the second run brought in by Báez’s hit since McKinstry was called out at third, so the game is tied at 1-1. RamÃrez is walked after nine pitches and Mize’s day is done early after throwing 62 pitches. Tyler Holton comes up to pitch and he gets Manzardo to ground out for a double play, then McKinstry has a nice throw to first base to get Naylor out to end the inning.
Top 4thBáez hits RBI single, McKinstry called out after replay overturns initial call but Detroit ties game at 1-1 in fourth inning
Torkelson strikes out for the second time today after swinging early at a cutter, then Greene works to a full count before hitting a sharp line drive off Valera for a double. Pérez grounds out for the second out as Greene moves to third base, then Dingler gets a nine-pitch walk as Bibee gets a mound visit as he’s up to 68 pitches already. McKinstry also works into a full count before being walked as the bases are loaded, then Báez hits a perfect grounder to bring Greene home, then McKinstry is called out while being tagged at third after the initial call is overturned for the third out.
Bottom 3rd
Rocchio flies out to Pérez in right field for the first out, then Kwan flies out to Báez to bring up Valera for the second time today. Valera gets a good swing on a first pitch but it’s an easy catch for Greene in left field to end this quick third inning.
Top 3rd
Javier Báez grounds out on his first at-bat, then Meadows also grounds out after two pitches. Torres swings at first pitch and hits a liner to left-center field, then a wild pitch from Bibee moves Torres to second but Carpenter pops out in foul territory.
Bottom 2nd
Bo Naylor gets Mize into a full count before whiffing on a low slider for Mize’s first strikeout today, then Gabriel Arias pops out to Torres for the second out. DeLauter comes up for his first major league at-bat and draws an eight-pitch walk, but C.J. Kayfus hits a grounder to Torkelson to end the inning.
Top 2nd
Wenceel Pérez flies out to DeLauter, who makes the catch this time and gets a good applause from the Guardians fans. Dillon Dingler misses a cutter for Bibee’s fourth strikeout already, then McKinstry grounds out to RamÃrez for the third out.
Bottom 1st
José RamÃrez pops out to McKinstry, then Kyle Manzardo hits one deep but Meadows is there at the warning track to make the catch for the final out.
Valera goes 411 feet deep to center field, Mize gives up early homer as Tigers trail 1-0 early in first inning
Steven Kwan leads off for the Guardians against Casey Mize, who almost hits Kwan twice before Kwan pops out to Zach McKinstry. George Valera works to a full count before hitting a fastball deep into right-center field for the first home run of the series as the Guardians take the lead.
Top 1st
Meadows hits a grounder to second baseman Brayan Rocchio, who may have hurt his left hand while diving for the ball and can’t make a play as Meadows makes it to first base. Gleyber Torres hits a fly ball to center field but it’s Chase DeLauter, making his MLB debut, dropping the ball for an error as the Tigers have runners on first and second. Kerry Carpenter works to a full count before looking at a curveball down the middle, then Spencer Torkelson swings and misses for back-to-back strikeouts. Riley Greene chases a high changeup as the Tigers can’t take advantage and strikeout three straight times.
First Pitch
Progressive Field hosts a pivotal Game 2 between the Tigers and Guardians in this AL wild-card series. A.J. Hinch is using the same lineup as Game 1 as Parker Meadows leads off against Tanner Bibee, with the first pitch being a cutter down the middle for a strike.
Preview
The Tigers are now one win from advancing in the MLB postseason and look to finish their business in Game 2 of their AL wild-card series against the Guardians on Wednesday.
Game 1 belonged to Tarik Skubal, who threw 14 strikeouts in 7.2 innings of work, highlighted by multiple triple-digit pitches in the 2-1 victory over Cleveland. The game ended in suspense, as Will Vest worked out of jam with a runner on third and no outs to keep the Guardians at bay.
Now Detroit goes from one of their aces to another, with Casey Mize making the first postseason start of his career after a strong season-ending performance against the Red Sox on Saturday. Tanner Bibee gets the Game 2 start for the Guardians, who won both of Bibee’s starts during last year’s AL division series against the Tigers.
Follow along here for live updates from Detroit News contributor Kameron Goodwill.
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