Tigers vs Guardians score in Game 2 ALDS: Highlights, Recap, Analysis
The Detroit Tigers tied the ALDS against the Cleveland Guardians thanks to Kerry Carpenter's game-tying three-run home run in the 9th inning.
Kerry Carpenter hit a clutch three-run home run in the top of the ninth inning to give the Tigers a 3-0 lead. Carpenter capped a two-out rally with a 423-foot shot to right field for the first lead of the game. Jake Rogers and Trey Sweeney kept the inning alive with a two-out single by Emmanuel Claes and Carpenter delivered the decisive strike. Tarik Skubal struck out seven of the first 12 batters and held Cleveland's offense in check with seven scoreless innings in a perfect start, before Will Vest and Beau Brieske shut it down out of the bullpen.
The Tigers entered Game 2 on Monday in an 0-1 hole after dropping Game 1, 7-0, in the best-of-five series, but now return to Comerica Park with a series win and home-field advantage. The win at least forced a Game 4, which will take place Thursday night in Detroit. Game 3 is scheduled for Wednesday at 3:08 p.m.
The Guardians jumped out to a 5-0 lead before recording one out in the first inning of Game 1 and the Tigers' offense was shut down by Cleveland's pitching, led by starter Tanner Bibby. The Tigers' bullpen strategy didn't work in Game 1, but Detroit won't have to handle it the same way with Skubal on the mound.
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Tigers vs Guardians game recap, highlights from Game 2
Middle 9th: Kerry Carpenter gives the Tigers a 3-0 lead with a huge HR
Kerry Carpenter hits the biggest home run of his life.
With two outs in the top of the ninth inning, Kerry Carpenter launched a slider down the heart of the plate and crushed a 423-foot no-doubter into Cleveland's right field seats. Zach Rogers started the rally with a two-out single, followed by a Trey Sweeney single in the gap to give Carpenter a chance to play the hero.
8th over: Close call ends Tigers' chances; The game is tied at 0
Cleveland brought in baseball's best closer Emmanuel Claes with two runners on and two outs in the eighth to face Wenzel Perez. Perez slapped an inside cutter to the opposite side of left field and Steven Kwan ended the threat with a diving catch. The ball almost hit the ground, but was ruled out after video review and stayed that way. The ball took a bounce, but seemed to hit the leather of Kwan's glove.
Will West came in to relieve Tarik Skubal and pitched 1-2-3 innings. Will Brennan lined out and Andres Jimenez struck out on a fastball. Kyle Manzardo pinch hit with two outs and sent a charge deep to left-center, but Parker Meadows jumped to the wall to grab it.
7th End: Guardians go 1-2-3; The game is tied at 0
Tarik Skubal pitched another 1-2-3 inning with two groundouts and a lineout. He is now at 92 pitches through seven innings with eight strikeouts and three hits allowed. In the top of the inning, Jake Rogers walked, but that was the only run the Tigers could muster.
6th End: Skubal escapes the jam to tie the game at 0
Tariq continues to deliver the Scooball.
Facing another jam, the Tigers turned into a second straight second inning-ending double play. Brian Ruccio reached with a double down the left-field line, followed by a Steven Kwan single the opposite way to put runners on the corners with one out. After a mound visit, Skubal got the ground ball he needed, a slow chopper to induce Trey Swinney with an inside fastball. Sweeney whipped it to Colt Keith, who got it to a stretching Spencer Torkelson to trigger the double play.
Colt Keith popped out, Riley Green grounded out and Wenzel Perez hit a high fastball in another quiet inning for the Tigers' offense.
Last 5th: Tiger flees at first sign of danger; The game is tied at 0
Justin-Henry Malloy appeared to have a double down the right-field line, but Jonkensi Noel turned on a dime and gave him a strike to slide into second base. Boyd was pulled with two outs and Cade Smith came in and struck out Matt Vierling on a low fastball.
Scooball's perfect game ended with Josh Naylor's one-out double in the bottom of the inning. He then hit Jonkensi Noel on the knuckles with an inside fastball, but got out of the jam on Andres Gimenez's inning-ending double play on the first pitch.
Last 4th: Skubal still trading, offense strands runner in scoring position; The game is tied at 0
Wenzel Perez opened the inning with a leadoff double and moved to third on a Spencer Torkelson flyout in the next at-bat, but the bottom of the Tigers' order couldn't push across the runs. Parker Meadows chases and misses on a slider. Moyla and Jake Rogers whiffed on an inside fastball to end the threat without a run.
Skubal continued his dominant start. The top of the Guardians order went 1-2-3 in the second with groundouts to Steven Cowan and David Frye and another short changeup against Jose Ramirez with a quick strikeout. Skubal has been on 51 pitches with seven strikeouts and four with no runners on base.
Last 3rd: Skubal strikes out 3; The Tigers' offense threatened but couldn't capitalize, tying the game at 0
The Tigers threatened to put a runner on first in scoring position, but Andy Ibenez flied out to left and Riley Green rolled over an inside sinker for a ground out. Justin-Henry Malloy drew a one-out single and Matt Vierling reached on a walk in a nine-pitch at-bat. Matthew Boyd threw 52 pitches over three innings, allowing two hits and two walks.
Skubal continued to grass through the guardians. He navigated the third with three different pitches alongside Andres Gimenez, Austin Hedges and Brian Rocchio. He got Gimenez to swing through a low slider, Hedges to miss a changeup and froze Rochio with a fastball to the knee. Through one turn in Cleveland's lineup, Skubal has six strikeouts with no runners allowed on 43 pitches.
Last 2nd: Skubal pitches another 1-2-3 inning; The game is tied at 0
Lane Thomas and Josh Naylor flied out and Jonkensi Noel made a low change for another quick innings by Skubal. Parker Meadows recorded the Tigers' first hit with a two-out infield single down the third-base line, but Jake Rogers flied out the next at-bat.
Last 1st: Skubal strikes out 2; Tiger-Guardians tie tie
Tariq Skubal was poised to be at the top of the Guardians lineup. He started his outing by looking at Steven Cowan on a 98 mph fastball in the knee, then quickly got a David Frye groundout to third. Jose Ramirez pushed him into a seven-pitch at-bat, but Scubal chased him down for a changeup in the dirt to end the inning.
The Tigers were hitless against Matthew Boyd in the first innings. Matthew Vierling worked a one-out walk, but Andy Ibenez saw a low changeup for strike three and Riley Green flied out.
The Tigers loaded up the lineup with righties
Manager AJ Hinch rotated several right-handed batters to face Boyd. Rookie DH Justin-Henry Malloy leads off, followed by Matt Vierling and Andy Ibanez at first in lefty, Riley Green, batting cleanup. The Tigers' starting six right-handers will bat against Boyd.
“He's at the top of the order because he's a real threat against left-handed pitching,” Tigers manager AJ Hinch told Malloy on Tuesday afternoon.
Tigers vs Guardians Prediction for Game 2
Jared Ramsey, Detroit Free Press: Colt Keith provides a spark as a pinch-hitter off the bench with pacing RBIs. sort: Tiger 4, Guardian 2.
Tigers vs Guardians Game 2 Pregame Reading
The Tigers couldn't get anything going in Game 1 after finding all the right buttons to push into the wild-card series against Houston. Usually reliable opener Tyler Holton was struck out and Reese Olson gave up a three-run home run on his first pitch that put Cleveland up 5-0 in the first inning, and Detroit had little chance to recover at the plate.
Detroit will try to square the series at 1-all with Skubal on the mound. He has made 13 starts in the loss this season, with a 9-4 record in those games. After starting his playoff run with six scoreless innings against Houston, he hopes to do the same for his second career playoff win on Monday. If the series goes the distance, Skubal will be in line to start Game 5.
On the other hand, Boyd will have an old friend starting in Cleveland. Boyd was one of Skubal's first mentors and friends when he joined the major league roster in 2020 and continued that relationship until 2023, when he joined Cleveland. The lefty is 2-2 with a 2.72 ERA this season since returning from the injured list after last year's Tommy John surgery and will look to keep Cleveland out of the lead before he returns to Comerica Park.
- Justin Henry-Malloy DH
- Matt Vierling 3b
- Andy Ibanez 2b
- Riley Green LF
- Wenzel Perez RF
- Spencer Torkelson 1b
- Parker Meadows cf
- Jake Rogers c
- Trey Swinney SS
Cleveland Guardians ALDS Game 2 Lineup
- Steven Kwan LF
- David Fry DH
- Jose Ramirez 3b
- Lane Thomas cf
- Josh Naylor 1b
- Johnson Noel RF
- Andres Jimenez 2b
- Austin Hedges c
- Brian Rocheo SS
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).
Jared Ramsey A sports reporter for Detroit Free Press Covers the city's professional teams, the state's two flagship universities and more Follow Jared on X @jared_ramsey22And email him at jramsey@freepress.com.
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