2024-10-13 04:00:04
That’s all folks.
The Detroit Tigers’ magical run through the postseason has come to an end thanks in large part to the heroics of Guardians center field Lane Thomas, who blasted a grand slam in the fifth inning off Tigers ace Tarik Skubal to blast the game open, going on to win 7-3.
This came after the Tigers bought themselves a little bit of wiggle room by winning Tarik Skubal’s start in Game 2 and taking care of business with a relatively stress-free Game 3, but gave away a chance to close out the series in Game 4 when Beau Brieske surrendered a huge home run to David Fry, flipping the game – and the series – on its head.
FULL GAME STORY:Detroit Tigers, Tarik Skubal slammed by Cleveland Guardians, 7-3, in Game 5 of ALDS
Even though the Tigers briefly took the lead in the top of the sixth inning thanks to more incredible hitting from an injured Kerry Carpenter, it felt like this series was lost in a lot of ways when Fry hit the home run in Game 4.
To the Tigers’ credit, they didn’t go down without a fight after Fry’s home run in the fifth, adding runs in the sixth and seventh innings, but the Guardians were able to piece together runs of their own in the seventh and eighth innings to pad their lead.
The Guardians will now travel to New York to face the Yankees in the ALCS with the series starting on Monday.
Here is a recap of the game below:
Tigers vs. Guardians ALDS Game 5 recap, highlights
Ninth inning: Tigers have no magic left, lose 7-3 to Guardians
At one point, the Tigers felt inevitable. By the time the ninth inning of Game 5 had rolled around, it felt inevitable that the Tigers were going to lose. With the Guardians adding runs in the seventh and eighth innings to give Emmanuel Clase four runs to work with, there was little hope for the overmatched Tigers hitters. Clase retired the side in order and ended the Tigers season in the process.
Eighth inning: Time running out for Tigers as Clase goes for six-out save; Guardians lead 7-3
Parker Meadows worked a walk for the Tigers to start the inning off Eli Morgan and at that point, Stephen Vogt had seen enough: it was time for Emmanuel Clase. The Guardians brought in their lights-out closer who got outs from Jake Rogers, Trey Sweeney and importantly, Kerry Carpenter, who hit a absolute bomb of a home run off him in Game 2 to steal the win. It was an eight-pitch battle, but this time Clase came out on top.
In the bottom of the eighth, the Guardians added a little more insurance off a tired-looking Will Vest, handing Clase a 7-3 lead needing three outs.
Bottom seven: Sometimes it’s just not your day; Guardians lead 6-3
After Steven Kwan ripped his 11th hit of the series into right field, a franchise record for the ALDS, the Guardians got two softly hit singles, which was good enough to drive in Kwan and add to the lead. Will Vest was taken out after giving up the run and was replaced by Tyler Holton, who escaped the one-out jam to keep the lead at three runs.
Top seven: Did someone say Gritty Tigs? Colt Keith drives in Riley Greene, Guardians lead trimmed to 5-3
The Tigers just keep scratching and clawing their way back into making this a game, but missed another opportunity to add runs. In the seventh, it was a single from Riley Greene and an off-the-wall double from Colt Keith to drive in the run and make the game 5-3 off Guardians pitcher Hunter Gaddis. Stephen Vogt pulled Gaddis and decided to go with seldom used reliever Eli Morgan, who struck out both Wenceel Pérez and Spencer Torkelson to escape another jam. The Tigers still have work to do, with superstar reliever Emmanuel Clase waiting in the wings.
Sixth inning: Tigers get one back, but miss chance with Kerry Carpenter bases-loaded strikeout’ Guardians lead 5-2
You’ve got to give the Tigers credit. They could’ve wilted after Lane Thomas’ go-ahead grand slam, but they didn’t. Jake Rogers drove in a run with two outs in the sixth and the Tigers managed to load the bases thanks to the single from Rogers and walks from Parker Meadows and Trey Sweeney. It seemed to all be shaping up for another huge Kerry Carpenter moment, but this time around, the slugger struck out as Guardians reliever Hunter Gaddis blew his fastball by him.
After the Tigers’ missed chance, Tarik Skubal made incredibly quick work of the Guardians, needing just five pitches to retire the side.
Bottom fifth: That hurts: Tarik Skubal gives up grand slam as game slips away from Tigers; Guardians lead 5-1
Everything that could go wrong did in the bottom of the fifth inning for the Tigers. After giving up singles to Andrés Giménez and Brayan Rocchio, David Fry got a lucky dink infield single to load the bases. Then Skubal hit José Ramírez, driving in the tying run with the bases load and one out. Then – the hero of Game 1 for the Guardians, Lane Thomas, blasted a grand salami to break open a close game and put the Tigers in real dire straits.
Top fifth: Kerry … Freaking … Carpenter delivers on one leg, drives in Trey Sweeney on deep single for 1-0 lead
The Guardians know well what Kerry Carpenter is capable of. He was the hero in Game 2 with an absolute missile of a home run to give the Tigers a 3-0 lead in the ninth inning. With the Tigers’ offense sputtering, A.J. Hinch decided that it was worth subbing in Carpenter to face Guardians RHP Andrew Walters, one leg and all. Carpenter was hurt in Game 4 while rounding third base and was a game-time decision with a hamstring injury. But when the Tigers needed Carpenter to come through again, he delivered. He blasted a single to deep right-center field that would’ve easily been a double had he been able to even jog, but he was super limited by the leg injury. The single was good enough to drive in shortstop Trey Sweeney after he worked a walk, giving the Tigers a 1-0 lead.
Top fourth: Tigers get two good at-bats, but can’t score again as game stays tied 0-0
Spencer Torkelson had maybe the best at-bat of the game in the top of the fourth with two outs, fighting and clawing his way through and eventually blasting a ball to deep left-center field that looked like it was going to be a home run. The ball hit the middle of the high wall and Torkelson got a double. Parker Meadows followed that up with another great at-bat, working a walk, but Jake Rogers ended the top of the inning with a ground ball to short.
Third inning: Tarik Skubal goes beast mode to escape jam after rare Riley Greene error; Game tied 0-0
Malloy, Vierling and Greene went down in order as the Tigers continued to struggle at the plate before turning the bats back over to Cleveland. For the first time of the day, the Guardians made the Tigers and Skubal REALLY sweat when Brayan Rocchio singled to left and then Steven Kwan got to second base thanks to an uncharacteristic error from Riley Greene in left field that put the Tigers in a real jam with one out. Skubal turned up the dial with the pressure on, hitting 100 mph multiple times and striking out David Fry and forcing a pop out from Lane Thomas. Disaster averted.
Second inning: Tigers can’t drive in Parker Meadows after double; Skubal keeps game tied 0-0
After Tarik Skubal worked around a wonky hit from Steven Kwan in the first inning, the Tigers looked like they may be working with something in the second. Parker Meadows slapped a double down the left-field line and then stole third base to get in great position with one out. However, the Tigers continued their playoff struggles with runners in scoring position as Jake Rogers flew out to right field, but it was too shallow to score Meadows, and then Trey Sweeney had an uncompetitive strikeout to end the inning. Skubal then made quick work of the Guardians in the second, striking out one and forcing two groundouts.
Top first: Tigers stand 2 runners as Matthew Boyd strikes out 3
Matthew Boyd looked a little shaky out of the gate, hitting Justyn-Henry Malloy in the first at-bat of the game, but bounced back with a strikeout of Matt Vierling. Boyd then walked Riley Greene to put a second runner on base, but corrected the mistake by striking out Andy Ibáñez and Wenceel Pérez to end the inning.
Tigers vs. Guardians ALDS Game 5 pregame notes
BUILT FOR THIS:Detroit Tigers season isn’t a mirage or even magic — they’re built to win ALDS Game 5
With a win, the Tigers advance to the ALCS to play the New York Yankees for the American League pennant while a loss ends the 2024 Tigers’ run.
The Tigers had a chance to close out the series at home in Game 4, but lost the closely-fought game 5-4 to push it the maximum distance. It was a back-and-forth battle at Comerica Park and the Guardians came out on top with one more clutch hit, a pinch-hit two-run home run from David Fry, to keep their season alive.
The Tigers have star pitcher Tarik Skubal set to pitch the deciding game. Skubal is 2-0 in the postseason without giving up a run over 13 innings, including seven innings of shutout ball against the Guardians in Game 2 to set up a late rally. On the other side, former Tiger and left-hander Matthew Boyd gets his second start of the series for Cleveland after he also started Game 2 and gave up no runs in 4⅔ innings.
Designated hitter Kerry Carpenter is still a game-time decision with a hamstring injury, while catcher Jake Rogers is fully active after taking foul balls off his catching wrist last game.
– Jared Ramsey
Tigers Game 5 lineup:
- Justyn-Henry Malloy DH
- Matt Vierling 3B
- Riley Greene LF
- Andy Ibáñez 2B
- Wenceel Pérez RF
- Spencer Torkelson 1B
- Parker Meadows CF
- Jake Rogers C
- Trey Sweeney SS
Guardians Game 5 lineup:
- Steven Kwan LF
- David Fry DH
- José Ramírez 3B
- Lane Thomas CF
- Josh Naylor 1B
- Jhonkensy Noel RF
- Bo Naylor C
- Andrés Giménez 2B
- Brayan Rocchio SS
What: Game 5 of ALDS in 2024 MLB playoffs.
When: 1:08 p.m. Saturday.
Where: Progressive Field in Cleveland.
TV: TBS.
TV announcers: Brian Anderson and Jeff Francoeur.
Livestream: On Sling TV.
Radio: WXYT-FM (97.1) in Detroit (Tigers radio affiliates); nationally on ESPN Radio.
Jake Rogers (C), Dillon Dingler (C), Andy Ibáñez (2B/3B), Colt Keith (2B), Jace Jung (3B), Zach McKinstry (UTIL), Trey Sweeney (SS), Spencer Torkelson (1B), Matt Vierling (3B/OF), Riley Greene (OF), Parker Meadows (CF), Kerry Carpenter (OF/DH), Wenceel Pérez (OF), Justyn-Henry Malloy (DH/OF), Beau Brieske (RHP), Jason Foley (RHP), Sean Guenther (LHP), Brenan Hanifee (RHP), Tyler Holton (LHP), Brant Hurter (LHP), Jackson Jobe (RHP), Ty Madden (RHP), Keider Montero (RHP), Reese Olson (RHP), Tarik Skubal (LHP), Will Vest (RHP).
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