The Detroit Tigers defeated the Cleveland Guardians 2-1 on Friday night, marking the Guardians’ eighth consecutive loss, their longest since a nine-game skid in 2021. Wenceel Pérez and Zach McKinstry contributed to the Tigers’ victory with home runs, while José Ramírez provided a glimmer of hope for the Guardians with a home run of his own, ending a slump of 0-for-21.
The Tigers’ Tyler Holton secured the win with a solid performance, pitching 2 2/3 innings of one-hit ball, while Will Vest recorded his 14th save of the season. Detroit’s Reese Olson, returning from a seven-week absence due to a finger injury, had a commendable outing, allowing just one run on six hits over 4 1/3 innings.
Cleveland’s Slade Cecconi pitched impressively as well, going six innings and striking out five batters. The decisive moments of the game included Pérez’s equalizer in the third inning and McKinstry’s go-ahead homer in the fourth. Despite having the bases loaded in the eighth, the Guardians couldn’t capitalize, ending the inning with a ground out.
In a strong showing, the Tigers improved their record to 6-0 whenever McKinstry hits a home run this season. Looking forward, Detroit will send Casey Mize to the mound against Cleveland’s Logan Allen in the next game, aiming to maintain their momentum and extend their lead in the AL Central.
This win serves as a reminder of the Tigers’ resilience and ongoing push for the postseason, while the Guardians will be looking to break their losing streak in the upcoming matches.