CLEVELAND — Lane Thomas slammed a three-run homer to cap a five-run first inning as the Cleveland Guardians jumped all over the Detroit Tigers while notching a 7-0 victory on Saturday afternoon in Game 1 of the American League Division Series.
David Fry added a two-run double in the sixth inning as Cleveland cooled down the sixth-seeded Tigers, who stunned the No. 3 Houston Astros in the wild-card round. The No. 2 Guardians had a first-round bye.
Detroit had just four hits, including none in 4 1/3 innings against the Guardians’ bullpen. Cleveland pitchers totaled 13 strikeouts.
Game 2 is Monday in Cleveland.
The Tigers used Tyler Holton (0-1) as an opener for the second straight game, and the strategy was quickly foiled when he didn’t retire any of the four batters he faced.
Holton allowed a double to Steven Kwan and walked Fry to open the game. Jose Ramirez then hit a bouncer right down the third base line that Zach McKinstry couldn’t field for an error as Kwan scored.
Josh Naylor then stroked an RBI single through the right side to make it 2-0, ending Holton’s outing. Reese Olson entered, and Thomas ripped a first-pitch slider over the wall in left-center to make it 5-0.
The blast came in Thomas’ first career postseason at-bat.
“I had faced him earlier on in the season before I got here,” said Thomas, who was acquired from the Washington Nationals at the trade deadline. “And I thought in that situation that I was either going to get a fastball kind of in off the plate or something soft that I could hit in the air and at least score that run from third. So I kind of picked one or the other and got the one I was looking for and put a good swing on it.”
The quick start was fueled by Cleveland’s aggressive approach.
“You try to cause chaos on offense, and our guys did that … just trying to make things happen,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “We get the break in the first inning, but our guys kept their heads down, and they’re running hard. It’s who we are. We’re always going to play hard until the last out is recorded.”
The Guardians added on in the sixth inning. Cleveland had two on and two out when Fry lined a two-run double into the left field corner off Ty Madden to make it 7-0.
By then, the Guardians’ lead appeared nearly insurmountable to the Tigers.
“They punch you with five in the first, it’s hard to overcome,” Detroit manager A.J. Hinch said. “We never recovered.”
In the fifth, Cleveland starter Tanner Bibee was one out away from qualifying for the victory when he gave up a single to Parker Meadows and subsequently was removed. The right-hander allowed four hits and one walk and struck out six.
“The past three days felt like there was a lead block in my stomach,” Bibee said of his nerves. “But I think once I kind of got through that first inning, I felt like it was a nice weight off the shoulders.”
Cade Smith (1-0) retired the next four batters. Tim Herrin and Hunter Gaddis each pitched a hitless inning before Emmanuel Clase finished up in a non-save situation.
“This is a five-game series for a reason,” Hinch said. “We’re going to see a lot of this bullpen and the more looks you can get, the better. We’re trying to do anything we can to make it a game.”
Olson gave up one run and three hits in five innings for the Tigers. The right-hander struck out four and walked one.
–Field Level Media
