Recap of the Detroit Tigers vs. Guardians game in Game 3 of the ALDS highlights
In their first playoff game at Comerica Park in over a decade, the V's prevailed.
The Tigers beat the Cleveland Guardians 3-0 to take a 2-1 ALDS lead. They are now one win away from the ALCS, which they can secure again at home on Thursday at 6:08 p.m
Matt Vierling, Riley Green and Spencer Torkelson all recorded RBI singles, while six pitchers — Kaider Montero, Brant Harter, Beau Brieske, Sean Guenther, Will Vest and Tyler Horton — contributed to the shutout effort.
Here is a brief description of the game:
Windsor:Pitching chaos? No, the Detroit Tigers are making playoff upsets after their latest thriller in the ALDS.
Okay, who's starting game 4?Who will the Tigers start in Game 4 of the ALDS against the Guardians' Tenner Bibby?
Detroit Tigers vs Cleveland Guardians Game 3 Live Updates, Highlights
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Box score.
Finals: Tyler Horton closes out Game 3 win
The Tigers took care of business in the closer 9, hitting Austin Hedges with a 94.4 mph fastball to give the Tigers a 2-1 series lead at Comerica Park. The Guardians went 19 innings without a run as the Tigers' magical run continued, marking consecutive shutouts.
Middle of the eighth: Tigers three outs from series lead; Still up 3-0
West continued the Tigers' run of strong pitching, catching Thomas on a four-seam fastball to record his first strikeout. It was the Guardians' third out, giving the Tigers a 2-1 series lead with three outs.
Middle 7th: Matt Vierling's clutch snag keeps the Guardians scoreless
Exited the game after two innings to a standing ovation from the crowd, picking up his third strikeout shortly before being replaced with a four-seam fastball on a 3-2 count. He was replaced by Sean Guenther, who walked Rocchio and gave up a single by Cowan to put the Guardians in scoring position.
It ended up being a quick appearance for Guenther, with Will West becoming the Tigers' fifth pitcher to take the mound. With two outs and Fry at the plate, Matt Vierling made the defensive play of the day when he ended the inning with an athletic left-handed catch over his head and preserved a 3-0 lead, potentially saving the game for the Tigers.
Bottom of the 6th: Torkelson puts the Tigers up 3-0
Brieske remained clutch in the sixth, striking out Andres Gimenez on a 96.2 mph fastball to keep the Guardians without a run with two outs on the board early on. That clutch factor carried over into the bottom of the innings.
Eli Morgan replaced Herrin on the mound and gave up a pair of hits after striking out Perez. Keith hit a line drive single to right field and advanced to second after a wild pitch. Torkelson, after striking out in his first two at-bats, connected on a four-seam fastball for an RBI double, pushing the lead to 3-0.
The Guardians made their fifth pitching change, bringing in Cade Smith. With two outs, he swept Rodgers.
Bottom 5th: Harter replaced; Beau Brieske preserves the Tigers' 2-0 lead
Harter was replaced on the mound by Beau Brieske after Brian Rocchio and Kwan gave up back-to-back singles, putting the Guardians in position to tie the lead.
Jose Ramirez got the better of Brees, striking out Fry before flying out to center field to end the inning and preserve Detroit's lead. Harter finished the day with one strikeout, five hits and a walk.
With runners on first and second, two outs and a 3-2 count, Green flied out to left field and was unable to add to the Tigers' narrow lead.
4th Bottom: Score remains 2-0 after good pitching from both sides
Harter had his own 'three up and three down' as he recorded strikeouts of Lane Thomas, Andres Gimenez and Jonkensi Noel to make the game 2-0 entering the bottom of the inning.
Guardians pitcher Eric Zabrowski made his first appearance in the series, avoiding the jam and recording three outs after a fielding error by first baseman Josh Naylor allowed Perez to reach second for a leadoff double. Zabrowski hit back-to-back hits to Colt Keith and Spencer Torkelson, and Trey Sweeney flied out to left field.
The Tigers had runners in scoring position in three of the first four innings in this game.
Bottom 3rd: Matt Vierling extends lead with sac fly; Tigers lead 2-0
Harter returned to pitch in the third inning and gave up a single to Steven Kwan on a grounder to Trey Sweeney, who scooped up the ball with his bare hands after it bounced off Harter's glove at first. A misplaced throw to first by Sweeney then allowed Kwan to advance to second.
The Guardians were scoreless, though, after Harter struck out David Frye in the first K of the day, and Naylor struck out for Cleveland's third out. They stranded the two on base after Harter intentionally walked Jose Ramirez.
Jack Rogers hit a line drive double to left field to set up the Tigers' second run of the day. With one out, Matt Vierling then scored Rodgers with a sacrifice fly to left field to give the home team an extra cushion.
Bottom 2nd: Brant Harter escapes the jam
Tigers left-hander Brant Harter replaced Montero to start the second inning.
Guardians first baseman Josh Naylor drove a line drive to right field and Lane Thomas singled on a ground ball up the middle. With runners on first and third, Harter delivered an eight-pitch AB to Bo Naylor who hit a fly ball to right fielder Wenzel Perez for the final out.
The Tigers went scoreless in the bottom of the inning. Alex Cobb recorded three outs without allowing a batter to reach first base.
Bottom 1st: Riley Green RBI single scores; Tigers lead 1-0
Parker Meadows registered the game's first hit on a sharp ground ball to right field for a leadoff single. In doing so, he became the first Tiger since Al Kaline in 1968 to record a hit in each of his first five postseason games.
The Tigers then proceeded to score their first run of the day – with two outs, Riley Green knocked an RBI single into center to score Meadows.
Detroit Tigers vs. Cleveland Guardians Game 3 Pregame Reading
Trending:Noticeably absent from Freep's Tigers beat writer coverage. Here's why.
While Carpenter's 423-foot blast got all the attention, he wouldn't have stepped up to the plate against Cleveland closer Emmanuel Claes if shortstop Trey Swinney couldn't reach base. Swinney, of course, came to the Tigers as a prospect included in the deal that sent right-hander Jack Flaherty to the Los Angeles Dodgers. But Freep's Jeff Seidel says the shortstop is anything but a throw-in.
Comerica Park will almost certainly rock for its first playoff game since Oct. 5, 2014 — a 2-1 loss to the Baltimore Orioles in the ALDS to complete a sweep. The Tigers haven't won a playoff game in Comerica since Oct. 16, 2013 — a Game 5 victory over the Boston Red Sox in the ALCS. But according to the Freep's Sean Windsor, expect to enjoy a rousing crowd like a once-in-a-generation playoff run.
Well, at least for the Tigers. As Dave Burkett of the Freep noted this morning, the Tigers' near-miraculous recovery from a 10-game deficit on Aug. 10 paralleled the 2022 Lions, who didn't miss the playoffs after a 1-7 start and planted the seeds for a squad that won a franchise-record 14 games last season. games won (including the postseason) and advanced to make the first Super Bowl this season.
Detroit Tigers ALDS Game 3 Lineup
- CF Parker Meadows
- DH Carey Carpenter
- 3B Matt Vierling
- LF Relay Green
- RF Wenzel Perez
- 2B Colt Keith
- 1B Spencer Torkelson
- SS Trey Sweeney
- C. Jake Rogers
Cleveland Guardians ALDS Game 3 Lineup
- LF Steven Kwan
- DH Kyle Manzardo
- 3B Jose Ramirez
- 1B Josh Naylor
- CF Lane Thomas
- Andres Jimenez
- RF Will Brennan
- C Bo Naylor
- SS Brian Rocheo
Jake Rogers (C), Dillon Dingler (C), Andy Ibanez (2B/3B), Colt Keith (2B), Jess Jung (3B), Zach McKinstry (UTIL), Trey Sweeney (SS), Spencer Torkelson (1B), Matt Vierling (3B/OF), Riley Green (OF), Parker Meadows (CF), Kerry Carpenter (OF/DH), Wenzel Perez (OF), Justin-Henry Malloy (DH/OF), Beau Briske (RHP), Jason Foley (RHP), Sean Guenther (LHP), Brennan Hanifi (RHP), Tyler Holton (LHP), Brant Harter (LHP), Jackson Jobe (RHP), Ty Madden (RHP), Keider Montero (RHP), Reese Olson (RHP), Tarik Skubal (LHP), Will Vest (RHP).
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