Tigers offense erupts to advance to ALDS

By Jacob Teets

CLEVELAND – The Detroit Tigers are moving on to the American League Divisional Series after beating the Cleveland Guardians 6-3 in game three of the AL Wildcard Series. 

The Tigers would score first in the third inning off a Kerry Carpenter double, but the Guardians would respond in the bottom of the fourth with a Jose Ramirez single to tie it at 1-1. In the sixth Dillon Dingler hit the Tigers lone homerun of the series to take a 2-1 lead. 

When the seventh inning came around, a leadoff double by Javier Baez and a single by Parker Meadows would get the Tigers runners on the corners with nobody out. After Gleyber Torres grounded out and Carpenter intentionally walked, Wenceel Pérez came up to bat and delivered a clutch two-run single to take a 4-1 lead. Spencer Torkelson and Riley Greene would then hit back-to-back singles scoring Carpenter and Pérez to extend the lead to 6-1. 

The Guardians would score two runs in the eighth off an error by Tiger closer Will Vest but would escape the inning with a great throw by Vest to get Ramirez out at second. Vest would stay in for the ninth to finish off the Guardians and advance

The Tigers will play the Seattle Mariners in the ALDS. They look to keep their World Series hopes alive against AL MVP candidate Cal Raleigh and the rest of the AL West Champion Mariners. Game one will be in Seattle on Oct. 4. It will be broadcast on Fox Sports 1, beginning at 8 p.m.