Should Detroit Tigers worry about Cleveland Guardians in AL Central?
On “Days of Roar,” Cleveland Guardians beat writer Paul Hoynes checks in about the Detroit Tigers in the AL Central race with two weeks remaining.
The Detroit Tigers lost to the Cleveland Guardians, 4-0.The loss was the Tigers’ second in the three-game series, and fifth in six games.Tigers right-hander Jack Flaherty allowed one run on three hits and four walks over five innings.
The Detroit Tigers had their best-case scenario in the seventh inning.
With a runner on first base, the Tigers deployed three right-handed hitters — pinch-hitters Jahmai Jones and Andy Ibáñez and everyday player Gleyber Torres — against Cleveland Guardians left-handed reliever Erik Sabrowski.
The Tigers failed to score in those favorable matchups, contributing to a 4-0 loss to the Guardians on Wednesday, Sept. 17, in the second of three games in the series at Comerica Park. The Guardians tacked on their final two runs in the ninth inning.
After Jones walked, Ibáñez popped out for the second out and Torres grounded out for the third out, stranding two runners in the seventh inning. All three batters are above-average performers against lefties, led by Torres with a .272 batting average and .916 OPS.
The Tigers (85-67) and Guardians (80-71) will play one more game in this three-game series, with left-hander Tarik Skubal scheduled to start for the Tigers at 1:10 p.m. Thursday (FanDuel Sports Network Detroit). The Tigers, whose magic number to clinch the American League Central remained at seven, have a 4½-game lead over the Guardians in the AL Central with 10 games remaining, including four more against the Guardians.
The Tigers have lost 14 of 21 games, while the Guardians have won 11 of 12.
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In the sixth inning, the Guardians took a 2-0 lead on a pinch-hit RBI single from Angel MartÃnez.
The Guardians had a runner on third and two outs, sending MartÃnez to pinch-hit against left-handed reliever Brant Hurter. The Tigers countered by calling right-handed reliever Tommy Kahnle out of the bullpen to get the matchup advantage.
MartÃnez struggles against righties, but he is successful against changeups. Sure enough, he sent Kahnle’s second-pitch changeup into right field for an RBI single.
The Guardians added two runs for a 4-0 lead in the ninth inning off right-handed reliever José Urquidy, who loaded the bases on a single and two walks before Bo Naylor’s two-strike, two-out, two-run single.
The Tigers finished 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position.
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Jack Flaherty strands bases loaded
Tigers right-hander Jack Flaherty faced his toughest task in the fifth inning.
He won the battle.
Flaherty loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth inning on C.J. Kayfus’ single, Brayan Rocchio’s walk and José RamÃrez’s intentional walk, but he escaped by striking out Kyle Manzardo swinging on a seventh-pitch fastball in a full count. After the strikeout, Flaherty roared in celebration before marching to the dugout.
The 29-year-old allowed one run on three hits and four walks with four strikeouts across five innings, throwing 95 pitches. He generated 10 whiffs on 38 swings for a 26.3% whiff rate.
Although Flaherty struggled to work ahead in counts, he stepped up and executed pitches when the Tigers needed him most in the fifth. He has allowed just one run over 10 innings in his past two starts, despite five walks (with 11 strikeouts).
The Guardians scored their lone run against Flaherty with two outs in the third inning for a 1-0 lead, doing so on George Valera’s RBI single.
Flaherty owns a 4.60 ERA in 30 starts.
Gavin Williams stays hot vs. Tigers
The Tigers worked right-hander Gavin Williams for 29 pitches in the first inning, followed by 20 pitches in the second, 14 in the third, 23 in the fourth and 14 in the fifth.
But the Tigers failed to score against him.
Williams tossed five scoreless innings on three hits and two walks with nine strikeouts, throwing 100 pitches. He stranded Parker Meadows (double) and Kerry Carpenter (walk) in the first inning with strikeouts of Torres, Spencer Torkelson and Riley Greene.
After escaping the first, Williams settled in for his final four innings, though the Tigers continued to produce quality plate appearances. Left fielder Steven Kwan chased down two fly balls in left-center to rob extra-base hits with majestic running catches.
Williams owns a 3.06 ERA in 30 starts.
More notably, Williams hasn’t allowed a run in his three most recent starts against the Tigers, spanning 16 innings. The Tigers haven’t scored off Williams since July 25, 2024.
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.
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