The Detroit Tigers survived a nail-biting showdown against the Cleveland Guardians on Thursday, scraping out a 6-3 victory in Game 3 of their AL Wild Card Series to advance to the American League Division Series. It was a gritty performance from the Tigers, who rode timely hitting and solid pitching to overcome a resilient Guardians squad that refused to fade quietly. Tarik Skubal's earlier dominance in Game 1 set the tone, but this decider felt like a street fight, with Detroit pulling ahead in the middle innings after Cleveland tied it up briefly.
Indeed, the game kicked off at Progressive Field under crisp autumn skies, drawing a packed crowd of over 35,000 roaring for the home team. Detroit struck first with a two-run homer from Riley Greene in the third, only for the Guardians to claw back on a José Ramírez solo shot. However, the Tigers' bullpen locked it down late, with closer Will Vest slamming the door despite a tense ninth-inning rally. Vest, who has been a revelation this postseason, notched his second save of the series, though not without some anxious moments that had Tigers fans holding their breath.
Pre-game predictions leaned slightly toward Cleveland, given their home advantage and the Guardians' potent lineup—analysts pegged a 55-45 edge for the hosts, citing Detroit's road woes. Yet the Tigers defied the odds, much like their improbable wild card run. For those tuning in, the matchup aired on ESPN, with streaming available on the MLB app and FuboTV for cord-cutters. Radio coverage blanketed the airwaves too: Guardians fans caught it on WTAM 1100, while Tigers supporters dialed into 97.1 The Ticket, both feeds crackling with real-time drama via SiriusXM for national reach.
Key takeaways: Detroit's opportunistic offense tallied 12 hits, exposing Cleveland's pitching staff that faltered under pressure. The Guardians, still smarting from their old Indians-era baggage, now face an offseason of what-ifs after a solid regular season.
However, as the playoffs grind on, one can't help but wonder how far this Tigers team, fueled by underdog fire, might actually go in the chase for October glory.