The Detroit Tigers wrapped up their AL Wild Card Series against the Cleveland Guardians with a gritty 6-3 victory on Thursday night, eliminating their division rivals and setting up a showdown with the Seattle Mariners in the Division Series. It was a tense, back-and-forth affair that highlighted the Tigers' resilience after dropping Game 2. Indeed, Detroit's bats came alive in the later innings, piling on runs that the Guardians' bullpen couldn't contain.
Game 3 at Progressive Field saw the Tigers jump out early, but Cleveland clawed back, forcing a nail-biter. Tarik Skubal's earlier dominance in Game 1 still loomed large, though here it was the offense that sealed the deal—think key hits from Riley Greene and a timely homer that shifted momentum. For the Guardians, it was a disappointing end to a season that saw them surge late in the AL Central, only to falter against a Tigers team hungry for redemption after that brutal September collapse.
However, let's not overlook the broadcast side, since fans were glued to screens and radios. The series aired nationally on ESPN, with streaming options on MLB.tv for out-of-market viewers. Locally, Guardians supporters tuned into WTAM 1100 AM or the iHeartRadio app for play-by-play from Tom Hamilton, while Tigers fans caught it on 97.1 The Ticket. If you're catching up, replays are available on those platforms—no excuses for missing the drama.
The old Cleveland Indians moniker might stir nostalgia for some, but these Guardians fought hard, with pitchers like Will Vest providing solid relief before the late unraveling. Predictions had favored Detroit slightly, given their momentum, yet no one foresaw the eighth-inning fireworks in Game 2 that forced this decider. Moreover, the Tigers' advance feels like poetic justice after the Guardians' wild comeback earlier this year.
Still, as the playoffs heat up, one wonders how far Detroit can push before the ghosts of past Octobers catch up.