Wenceel Perez and Zach McKinstry hit solo home runs and four Detroit pitchers combined for a nine-hitter, lifting the visiting Tigers to a 2-1 victory over the free-falling Cleveland Guardians on Friday night.
Perez went deep in the third inning and McKinstry cleared the fence in the fourth, both off Guardians starter Slade Cecconi (3-4), as the American League-leading Tigers won the opener of their three-game weekend series.
All-Star third baseman Jose Ramirez homered in the first for defending AL Central champion Cleveland, which lost its eighth straight and is 1-9 since June 23. The Guardians matched their longest skid since 2021.
Tyler Holton (4-3) earned the win with 2 2/3 scoreless innings of one-hit relief and Will Vest pitched the final four outs for his 14th save in 17 opportunities.
Ramirez homered in the first to put Cleveland ahead 1-0, snapping an 0-for-21 streak that equaled the longest of his career. The drought began on June 26, when he was hit on the right arm by a pitch from Toronto’s Kevin Gausman.
Cecconi threw a career-high 105 pitches over six innings, giving up two runs on six hits. The right-hander struck out five and walked two in front of the largest crowd in Cleveland this season, an advance sellout of 38,213.
Tigers starter Reese Olson worked 4 1/3 innings, allowing one run on six hits after being activated from the injured list earlier in the day. The righty struck out three and walked one in his first appearance since May 17, when his right ring finger became inflamed.
Guardians center fielder Lane Thomas exited the game in the sixth with mild plantar fasciitis on his right foot. If Thomas is placed on the IL, it likely will result in top prospect Chase DeLauter being recalled from Triple-A Columbus to make his major-league debut.
Ramirez went 2-for-4 and scored his 942nd career run, moving into a tie for fourth in franchise history with Charlie Jamieson.
–Field Level Media
