In a dominating display, the Cleveland Guardians cruised to a 7-0 victory over the Detroit Tigers in the opening game of their American League Division Series on Saturday. Lane Thomas, making his postseason debut, smashed a three-run homer in the first inning, setting the tone for a lopsided win. The Guardians’ bullpen, touted as one of the best in baseball, lived up to its reputation, combining for 4 1/3 hitless innings to seal the deal.
Thomas’s blast, which came on his first career postseason swing, capped a five-run outburst in the first inning, with the Guardians sending nine batters to the plate before recording an out. The Tigers, who had stormed into the playoffs with a remarkable second-half surge, were unable to recover from the early deficit.
Tanner Bibee got the start for the Guardians, pitching 4 2/3 innings before giving way to the bullpen. Rookie Cade Smith struck out all four batters he faced, while Tim Herrin, Hunter Gaddis, and Emmanuel Clase each contributed to the shutout.
David Fry added a two-run double in the sixth inning, providing further insurance for the Guardians, who were unfazed by their week-long layoff. The Tigers, meanwhile, struck out 13 times and failed to advance a runner past first base in the final four innings.
The series continues on Monday, with the Tigers turning to ace Tarik Skubal, the favorite to win the AL Cy Young Award, in an effort to even the best-of-five series. The Guardians will counter with Matthew Boyd, a former Tiger who remains close friends with Skubal.
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