The Detroit Tigers wrapped up their AL Wild Card Series against the Cleveland Guardians with a gritty 6-3 victory in Game 3 on Wednesday night at Progressive Field. It was a must-win for both sides after the Guardians clawed back from a 1-0 deficit with a 6-1 blowout in Game 2. But the Tigers, showing that familiar resilience, refused to fold. Key hits from Riley Greene and Kerry Carpenter powered Detroit's offense, while the bullpen held firm in the late innings.
Indeed, the game started tense. Tigers starter Jack Flaherty navigated early trouble, but Cleveland's Jose Ramirez—always a threat—drove in a run with a sharp single in the third. Detroit responded quickly, though. Greene's double in the fourth scored two, and Carpenter followed with an RBI single that seemed to shift the momentum. However, the Guardians tied it at 3-3 in the sixth on a two-run homer by Bo Naylor, forcing everyone to hold their breath. That's playoff baseball for you—unpredictable, almost frustrating in its swings.
By the seventh, the Tigers pulled ahead again. Dillon Dingler, the young catcher who's been a revelation behind the plate, added an insurance run with a sacrifice fly. Detroit's pitching, led by relievers like Will Vest, shut down Cleveland's rally attempts. Ramirez went 2-for-4, but it wasn't enough; the Guardians stranded key runners, much like the Tigers did in Game 2 when they left 15 on base in that dismal loss. Stats show Detroit outhit Cleveland 11-8 overall in Game 3, with Greene finishing the series batting .375.
Moreover, this win caps a bizarre September where Cleveland staged a historic comeback to snag the division, only for Detroit to rebound in the postseason. The Tigers now head to the ALDS against the Seattle Mariners, a matchup that could test their depth. Yet, as the dust settles, one wonders if this Tigers squad has the staying power for a deeper run—or if it'll just be another fleeting October memory.