Well, friends, it’s been a grand season, and we’re down to the wire. This game and its outcome could go a long way to deciding the rest of the Tigers’ season and whether it will extend into October. Jack
Flaherty was on the mound, who was excellent last week against the Guardians, allowing only one run. He was facing Tanner Bibee, the Guardians’ ace, so this was sure to be an interesting game.
After a thirty-five-minute rain delay, because even the weather gods weren’t ready to watch this one, the game got underway. The Tigers went 1-2-3 to start things off. In the home half, Jose Ramirez got a two-out double, but Flaherty didn’t get flustered and turned around to get the final out of the inning.
In the second, Riley Greene had a solid at-bat against Bibee to get a one-out walk, but he was then eliminated in a double-play off the bat of Wenceel Perez. In the home half, Daniel Schneemann reached on a fielding error by Spencer Torkelson, but once again, Flaherty managed to keep from letting it get to him and collected the final out of the inning to keep the game scoreless.
With one out in the third, we got back-to-back singles from Dillon Dingler and Trey Sweeney, putting men on the corners. Parker Meadows then hit a hard sac fly out to right field, scoring Dingler and getting the Tigers on the board first.
Gleyber Torres also singled but the Tigers had to settle for the one run. Unfortunately, their lead was short-lived. Brayan Rocchio doubled to start things off, and then with one out, George Valera homered to give the Guardians the lead. Flaherty followed that with two outs, but considering the number of games in the season series between these clubs that came down to one run, it certainly didn’t feel good to be trailing.
In the top of the fourth, Spencer Torkelson singled. Then, with one out, Perez drew a walk. A force out and a ground out followed, though, leaving the Tigers exactly where they were at the end of the previous inning. Flaherty, meanwhile, rebounded creditably from the previous inning, coming back to get a 1-2-3.
The Tigers continued to struggle, going three-up, three-down in the top of the fifth. With one out in the bottom of the inning, Rocchio singled. He then stole second. A Steven Kwan single brought Rocchio home, and I once again ask the Tigers front office to find a way to sign Kwan so we don’t have to play him for two more years, thank you. Flaherty’s day was done, being replaced by Tyler Holton. A force out eliminated Kwan and put Valera on first. With all of Flaherty’s baserunners gone, his final line for the game was 4.1 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 6 K, 1 HR on 83 pitches. Jose Ramirez popped out, but at the end of five, the Guardians were up 3-1.
Riley Greene got a two-out single in the top of the sixth, but the Tigers left him stranded. Holton managed to get the Guardians out in order in the bottom of the inning.
Tim Herrin came in to replace Bibee, and he nailed Zach McKinstry in the lower back, giving McKinstry a free bag and probably a decent bruise. A pinch-hitting Andy Ibanez hit into what might have been a double if Jose Ramirez hadn’t nabbed it on the third base line, and then almost turned into a double-play, except the throw from Rocchio at second to first was off target, allowing Ibanez to safely make it to first. That was it for Herrin, though, facing the minimum three batters before getting yanked. Hunter Gaddis came out of the Guardians’ pen next with one on and one out to get, and he did get that final out. Rafael Montero came on for the Tigers in the bottom of the inning. Schneemann got a leadoff walk, then C.J. Kayfus singled to right, putting two on. When Rocchio walked, Montero was done with the bases loaded, making way for Will Vest to face…. oh, hell… Steven Kwan. Kwan popped out for the first out of the inning. With two outs, Ramirez doubled, bringing in two more runs. Vest did get the final out, but the gap had been widened to 5-1.
Jakob Junis came in for the Guardians in the eighth and got the Tigers out in order. Paul Sewald replaced Vest, and after a Pitch-Com issue, gave up a single to Bo Naylor before getting the rest of the side out in order.
In the top of the ninth with two outs, McKinstry singled. That was it for Junis, the Guardians weren’t taking any chances. Cade Smith came in to get the final out and did just that. Cleveland won the game and claimed the top spot in the AL Central all on their own.
