The Guardians entered tonight’s game 6.5 games back from the Detroit Tigers with 6 games remaining between the two clubs. Joey Cantillo and Casey Mize took the mound for their respective clubs in what could potentially be Game 1 of a season defining series in Detroit.
The Guardians scored first in the top of the second with Nolan Jones hitting a two-out double ground ball to right field. Youngster C.J. Kayfus smacked a RBI single to right to score NoJo from second.
The Tigers were brewing a response
in their half of the inning. With only one out, Gabriel Arias unfortunately recorded a fielding error that allowed the hitter to reach first. The next Detroit batter doubled on a line drive to Steven Kwan, surely looking like a game-tying hit. Except Steven Kwan had the perfect throw into cut off man Gabriel Arias and Arias immediately shook off the error to activate his cannon to throw the runner out at home.
Couple of things to note: the sheer distance that Kwan covered to get the ball and how perfectly Arias caught the relay to throw to home.
Unfortunately the Tigers did strike back in the bottom of the second with a solo homer to left to tie it up. Gleyber Torres launched the ball 402 feet off a four seamer from Cantillo. Yeah, that home run was hit pretty far. There is certainly no way one of Cleveland’s batters could go 10 feet further the very next inning.
Hey look! Gabriel Arias hit a 412 foot home run!
Joey Cantillo had a 1-2-3 fifth inning to finish his night. In 5.0 innings of work, Cantillo allowed 4H, 1R/ER, 2BB, and struck out 3.
To lead off the sixth inning, José Ramírez singled and immediately stole second base for his 39th stolen base of the year. Kyle Manzardo reached on a single. Bo Naylor continued his hot September with a RBI double to right to score José.
A fielders choice and a strikeout retired the side before Cleveland could tack on more. In the bottom of the sixth, Matt Festa replaced Cantillo. He allowed three base runners via two singles and a hit by pitch to start the inning. Bo Naylor threw out the lead off hitter at second to record the first inning. This was crucial, as it prevented a tied game. The second out of the inning came via forceout that scored the runner from second. Stephen Vogt called for Erik Sabrowski to retire the side with the Guards still up by one run.
Sabrowski started the seventh, walking a batter. Hunter Gaddis came on and got the final two outs, with help from Gabriel Arias. Arias allowed a pop up to drop to get the runner on first out at second for the forceout. This prevented the faster runner from getting into scoring position. Arias turned another great play with a cannon shot to first base for the third out of the seventh.
Gaddis stayed on in the eighth, giving up a long lead off single. The batter hit the ball to the furthest outfield corner from first base, but Kwan was quick to get to the ball and throw in to second – keeping the runner at first. Another pitching change for the Guards brought out Tim Herrin with a runner on. Tim Herrin returned to 2024 form and struck out all three batters he faced.
After the bottom of the Cleveland line up went 1-2-3, it was up to Cade Smith to close out the game for the Guardians. Of course none other than Kerry Carpenter hit a solo home run off of Smith to tie the game.
I don’t like Kerry Carpenter.
Apparently neither does Tigers pitcher Will Vest. Vest was tasked with facing the top of the line up with Brayan Rocchio as the ghost runner at second. That’s when the rapid fire scoring started for the Guards.
Steven Kwan hit a lead off double to score Rocchio.
Angel Martínez tripled to center to score Kwan.
José Ramírez hit a ground-rule double to score Martínez.
Kyle Manzardo doubled to advance José to third.
Gabriel Arias hit a one-out single to score Ramírez.
And just like that Cleveland found themselves up 4 runs.
With a depleted bullpen and a lot of meaningful baseball left this week, the Guards turned to Jakob Junis. Junis gave up a two run home run, but got the three outs.
Cleveland wins 7-5.
