In a stunning turn of events, the Detroit Tigers pulled off a dramatic 3-0 victory over the Cleveland Guardians in Game 2 of the American League Division Series, evening the series at one game apiece. The decisive blow came in the ninth inning when Kerry Carpenter unleashed a towering 423-foot home run off Cleveland’s ace closer Emmanuel Clase, who had been virtually unhittable all season.
Carpenter’s heroics came after Tarik Skubal pitched a masterful seven shutout innings, extending his postseason scoreless streak to 13 innings. The Tigers’ ace left-hander was nearly untouchable, yielding only three hits while striking out eight Guardians.
The game remained scoreless until the ninth, when Jake Rogers and Trey Sweeney strung together consecutive two-out singles off Clase. Carpenter, who had entered the game an inning earlier as a pinch hitter, seized the opportunity, turning on Clase’s third straight slider and sending the ball soaring into the right-field seats.
The Tigers’ manager, A.J. Hinch, praised his team’s resilience, saying, “How about those three two-out hits?” Meanwhile, Guardians manager Stephen Vogt defended his decision to use Clase for more than one inning, citing the closer’s impressive track record.
The series now shifts to Comerica Park, where the Tigers will look to build on their momentum in Games 3 and 4. Detroit will face Cleveland’s Alex Cobb, who will make his first start since September 1 after recovering from a finger blister. The Tigers’ starter for Game 3 remains a mystery, as Hinch has yet to make an announcement.
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