It came down to Game 5 for the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Guardians, who faced off Saturday for the chance to advance to the ALCS, where the New York Yankees await.
After a series dominated by pitching and defense, the Guardians’ bats finally woke up in this one, even with Detroit ace Tarik Skubal on the mound. A grand slam from Lane Thomas led the way as the Guardians won 7-3 to clinch a spot in their first ALCS since 2016.
Tarik Skubal took the mound for the Tigers looking to build on his brilliant season. He pitched a total of 17 scoreless innings in this postseason, looking virtually unhittable along the way, before the Guardians scored five runs in the fifth inning of Game 5.
Singles from Andres Gimenez, Steven Kwan and David Fry preceded a hit by pitch of Jose Ramirez that scored Cleveland’s first run. Thomas followed with his game-changing blast. Skubal finished the sixth inning, having given up five runs on six hits with six strikeouts, but the damage was done.
The Tigers kept battling and got as close as 5-3 before the Guardians tacked on two insurance runs in the late innings. Steven Kwan notched his third three-hit game of this series, and Thomas drove in a total of five runs in the clincher.
For the Guardians, Matthew Boyd pitched the first two innings, and six relievers followed before Emmanuel Clase took over for the final six outs. Clase got Kerry Carpenter swinging in the eighth for his biggest out of the game — and perhaps some revenge from Game 2.
Game 1 of the ALCS is Monday in New York.
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Clase gets it done
Clase finishes the eighth with three straight outs, including an eight-pitch strikeout of Kerry Carpenter that ended with a swing on a 100.8 mph cutter.
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Clase coming in for the 8th
Parker Meadows draws a walk to start the inning, and Stephen Vogt is turning to all-world closer Emmanuel Clase in search of the final six outs.
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Guardians tack on insurance
It’s 6-3 in the seventh after singles from Kwan, Ramirez and Thomas.
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Another hit for Kwan
Steven Kwan leads off the bottom of the seventh with a single.
This is his third straight three-hit game. He has 11 hits in the series.
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Eli Morgan ends the threat
One run is all the Tigers will get in the seventh.
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Tigers chipping away
A Riley Greene single followed by a Colt Keith double makes it 5-3 in the seventh.
These Tigers aren’t going down without a fight.
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5-pitch inning for Skubal
The Tigers are letting Skubal continue to roll, and he does so with three quick outs in the bottom of the sixth.
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Hunter Gaddis gets it done
Carpenter strikes out swinging on a 96 mph fastball.
Still 5-2 Guardians as we go to the bottom of the sixth.
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Trey Sweeney walks
And the bases are loaded for Kerry Carpenter.
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Tigers threatening with two outs
After two quick outs in the bottom of the sixth, the Tigers went Torkelson double, Meadows walk, Rogers single to make it 5-2
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GRAND SLAM!!
Skubal had just given up his first run of the postseason. Lane Thomas added four more with a big swing on the first pitch he saw.
5-1 Guardians after five.
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A hit by pitch ties the game!
Skubal hits Ramirez on the arm with a 100 mph sinker, and that ties the game.
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Guardians threatening in the 5th
A David Fry infield single has the bases loaded for Jose Ramirez.
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Steven Kwan cannot be stopped
Steven Kwan has his second hit of the game and has reached base in all three of his at-bats.
The Guardians have two on and one out against Skubal in the bottom of the fifth.
