2024-10-08 09:45:02
CLEVELAND — The Guardians started their 2024 postseason with a bang. Now they’ll have to bounce back from a sudden loss Monday evening.
After the Guardians won Game 1 of the American League Division Series via a five-run first inning, Game 2 was decided by a three-run homer in the ninth by the Tigers off Cleveland’s All-Star closer, Emmanuel Clase. That leaves the best-of-five series even at a game apiece.
Monday’s game was pitchers’ duel featuring Detroit’s Tarik Skubal — the likely AL Cy Young winner — against Matthew Boyd, a former longtime Tiger, and Cleveland’s dominant bullpen before a decisive Kerry Carpenter swing in the ninth.
Here is how the game unfolded through our live score updates, analysis and highlights
The Tigers have won Game 2 3-0, tying the series 1-1.
Progressive Field is stunned.
With two outs, two runners on and two strikes, Kerry Carpenter absolutely launched a three-run home run 423 feet for a go-ahead, three-run home run. Clase threw a slider, and Carpenter belted it.
That’s the first time Clase has ever given up a three-run home run in his entire career. Clase allowed only five earned runs all season and just got tagged for three on one swing.
The Tigers are putting something together against Emmanuel Clase. With two outs, Jake Rogers and Trey Sweeney both singled to put runners on the corners for the top of the lineup and Kerry Carpenter.
Pitching coach Carl Willis is coming out to talk with Clase.
Tarik Skubal is done after seven innings. Will Vest is entering the game. This is a pretty curious decision by A.J. Hinch.
Steven Kwan might have just made the play of the year.
With two outs, Wenceel Perez hit a ball to left field that appeared to be a run-scoring single to give the Tigers the lead. Steven Kwan raced in and to his right and made a fully stretched dive to catch it maybe an inch off the ground. The play was reviewed and confirmed as called.
Kwan might have just saved the game for the Guardians.
Matt Vierling doubled off Hunter Gaddis, and Riley Greene was intentionally walked with two outs.
And with that, the Guardians are turning to Emmanuel Clase. They’ll likely hope he can get at least four outs. Even though Gaddis has been terrific, Vogt can’t let this game get away with Clase just sitting in the bullpen.
Tarik Skubal is at 92 pitches and could be back out for the eighth inning. Hunter Gaddis is entering the game for the Guardians.
Tim Herrin took over for Cade Smith in the seventh and has kept the game scoreless. This game has become a back-and-forth pitching battle with each pitcher walking off the mound fired up, yelling and first pumping.
It’s been a tremendous pitcher’s duel, Skubal vs. the Boyd, Smith and Herrin.
The Guardians again threatening to score, and Tarik Skubal again escaped the inning with a doubleplay.
Brayan Rocchio doubled and Steven Kwan singled to left field to put runners on the corners with only one out. But again, Skubal got the perfect doubleplay ball he needed, this time off the bat of David Fry.
The Guardians and Tigers are still scoreless after six innings. This game has had plenty of fireworks for a scoreless contest.
Jhonkensy Noel was hit by a pitch to put two runners on base, but Andres Gimenez followed by grounding into an inning-ending doubleplay.
Skubal was fired up walking off the mound, yelling and fist-pumping. The perfect game is gone, but the Guardians and Tigers remain scoreless.
For the time being, it’s the Guardians bullpen vs. Skubal.
The perfect game bid is no more.
With one out in the fifth, Josh Naylor roped a double into the right-center gap. He swung hard enough that his helmet fell off during the swing and stayed in the batter’s box as Naylor strolled into second with the Guardians’ first hit and baserunner of the day.
Cade Smith has now faced five hitters in the ALDS — he’s struck out all five (four in Game 1, Matt Vierling to end the fifth inning today).
Jhonkensy Noel has the defensive play of the series thus far. In a game that might be very low scoring, Big Christmas just made the biggest play of the day.
With one out in the fifth, Justyn-Henry Malloy fought off a hit down the right-field line. Noel fielded it, spun and fired to second base, hitting Brayan Rocchio with a strike from 200 feet away and nailing Malloy as he tried to stretch it into a double. Instead of the Tigers having the go-ahead run on second base, the Guardians have two outs in the inning.
And that’ll do it for Boyd, who gave the Guardians 14 scoreless outs, which is close to the best possible outcome for Cleveland. Cade Smith is entering the game at the same point that he did in Game 1.
Tarik Skubal is 12-for-12 today. The Guardians have looked lost at the plate, and Skubal now has seven strikeouts. Skubal just made Jose Ramirez look silly on a swing, which is saying something.
The Tigers had a golden scoring opportunity to break the deadlock, but Matthew Boyd recovered.
Wenceel Perez opened the inning with a double and moved to third on Spencer Torkelson’s sacrifice fly to right field. With the potential go-ahead run on third, Boyd struck out Parker Meadows and then Jake Rogers to end the inning. Boyd yelled as his walked off the mound.
That’s four scoreless innings for Boyd, which is exactly what the Guardians needed from him today. Cade Smith is warming and could take over to begin the fifth, as the Tigers are about to turn over the lineup for the third time.
Tarik Skubal has looked untouchable today so far. He’s faced nine Guardians hitters and has sat them down in order. He’s also struck out six of the nine. He’s at 43 pitches.
Matthew Boyd escaped a jam in the third.
A single, a walk and a sacrifice fly but runners on the corners and two out for Andy Ibanez. In the biggest at-bat of the game thus far, Boyd induced a groundout to second base to end the inning.
The Guardians and Tigers are still scoreless in game 2.
Matthew Boyd is through two innings unscathed. Parker Meadows had the first hit of the day, a slow roller down the third base line that Jose Ramirez nearly made an amazing play with, but Meadows beat out the throw.
Tarik Skubal followed with another easy inning. He’s cruising.
Tarik Skubal looks every bit of the Cy Young frontrunner today.
Skubal worked a 1-2-3 first inning, including strikeouts to Steven Kwan (looking) and Jose Ramirez (swinging).
Matthew Boyd had to work around a walk, but he did his job, tossing a scoreless first inning. With an off day yesterday, and another one tomorrow, the Guardians don’t necessarily need too many innings from Boyd, so efficiency isn’t as important.
Below is some pregame information.
The Guardians have adjusted their ALDS roster ahead of Game 2.
Tyler Freeman is dealing with a strained left oblique and will be replaced by Angel Martinez on the bench. The Guardians had liked how Freeman looked at the end of the season and wanted the extra utility position player. Martinez replaces that role as a switch-hitting option.
Here are the top takeaways to know from Game 1 and before Game 2 begins.
Here’s a complete series preview, including each team’s biggest advantage.
Game 2 has a first-pitch time of 4:08 p.m. ET.
The Guardians announced their ALDS roster Saturday morning.
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