Tigers Triumph Over Guardians 6-3 to Reach AL Division Series

The Detroit Tigers secured a decisive 6-3 victory over the Cleveland Guardians on October 5, 2023, advancing to the American League Division Series. Dillon Dingler’s sixth-inning home run and Wenceel Pérez’s two-run contribution in a four-run seventh inning propelled the Tigers into a matchup against the Seattle Mariners, scheduled for Game 1 on Saturday.

This win marks the second consecutive season that the Tigers have triumphed in a Wild Card Series on the road. The team, having entered the playoffs as the third wild card, will now face the AL West champions, the Mariners, who finished the regular season with a strong performance, winning four of the six matchups against Detroit.

The Guardians, who had been 15.5 games behind in early July, completed a remarkable comeback to clinch the AL Central title. Despite this achievement, their playoff run came to an abrupt end in this best-of-three series. Detroit, which struggled in September with a record of 7-17, found its stride just in time.

The game began with a tightly contested battle, tied at 1-1 in the sixth inning. Dingler broke the deadlock with a powerful 401-foot home run off Guardians pitcher Joey Cantillo, marking his first postseason hit and RBI. The Tigers then capitalized on their momentum in the seventh inning, sending ten batters to the plate and scoring four runs.

Pérez played a pivotal role in this breakout inning. With the bases loaded and one out, he delivered a critical base hit to right field, driving in both Javier Báez and Parker Meadows. Following that, Hunter Gaddis, who replaced Cantillo, surrendered additional hits to Spencer Torkelson and Riley Greene, allowing Kerry Carpenter and Pérez to score.

Kyle Finnegan earned the win for Detroit, retiring all four batters he faced. In contrast, Cantillo was charged with the loss after giving up Dingler’s homer and struggling through the seventh inning.

Cleveland’s José Ramírez contributed significantly, notching the Guardians’ first run with a single in the fourth inning. This hit marked Ramírez’s 40th postseason hit, placing him among the top five players in franchise history. In the eighth inning, he added another run after reaching base on a missed catch error by Tigers reliever Will Vest, scoring Brayan Rocchio and Steven Kwan.

As the Tigers prepare to face the Mariners, they will look to build on their recent success, while the Guardians will reflect on a season that showcased resilience and determination, despite the disappointing end to their playoff aspirations.