CLEVELAND — Lane Thomas made a significant impact in his postseason debut, hitting a three-run homer as the Cleveland Guardians erupted for five runs before the Detroit Tigers recorded their first out, leading to a 7-0 victory in the opening game of the AL Division Series on Saturday.
This impressive start to the playoffs for the Guardians was bolstered by Thomas’ blast, which came during his first career postseason at-bat after being acquired from Washington. “It was electric,” Thomas expressed, reflecting on the exhilarating moment.
Starting pitcher Tanner Bibee threw 4 2/3 innings before his coach, Stephen Vogt, called upon the Guardians’ formidable bullpen. The relievers combined for 4 1/3 hitless innings, matching a franchise postseason record for largest shutout victory. The Tigers struck out a total of 13 times and failed to advance a runner past first base in the last four innings.
This shutout marked the Tigers’ worst playoff loss since Game 1 of the 1945 World Series. “We’re going to see a lot of this bullpen,” said Tigers manager A.J. Hinch, emphasizing the challenge his team will face moving forward.
Cleveland’s bullpen met expectations, with rookie Cade Smith striking out all four batters he faced in relief. Tim Herrin took over in the seventh, Hunter Gaddis in the eighth, and Emmanuel Clase, the league leader in saves, closed out the game.
David Fry contributed to the score with a two-run double for the AL Central champions, who needed no time to shake off the rust from a week off due to their first-round bye. “We came out ready to swing the bat, and we looked like we didn’t take five days off,” Vogt noted.
In Game 2 on Monday, the Tigers will rely on Tarik Skubal, a leading contender for the AL Cy Young Award, in an effort to even the series.
In a historic moment, this game marked the 2,327th meeting between Detroit and Cleveland and was their first postseason encounter. The Guardians capitalized early, sending nine batters to the plate in the opening inning.
Hinch, who has effectively guided his young team from below .500 to the playoffs, faced challenges with his bullpen management in this opener. The Guardians struck quickly, with Thomas’ home run providing a commanding 5-0 lead. This was also a historic feat, as it made the Guardians the first team in AL postseason history to score five runs before an out was recorded.
The scoring began with Steven Kwan’s leadoff double off Tigers starter Tyler Holton, followed by Fry’s walk. José Ramírez’s ground ball led to an error that allowed Kwan to score, contributing to the early advantage.
Thomas, who struggled after joining from the Nationals, made his postseason debut memorable by hitting a slider for a homer that electrified the crowd of 33,548 at Progressive Field. Despite initial nerves, Bibee settled down after the strong offensive start, allowing four hits and striking out six before handing the ball to the bullpen.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Guardians: Right-handed pitcher Alex Cobb, who may start Game 3, was added to the ALDS roster following a stint on the injured list due to a finger blister. He made only three starts after being traded from San Francisco in July.
UP NEXT
Skubal heads to the mound with impressive stats, leading the AL in wins, ERA, and strikeouts. He is expected to face Guardians right-hander Matthew Boyd, a former Tiger and close friend.