CLEVELAND — Brayan Rocchio belted a go-ahead solo homer and Bo Naylor had a three-run shot as part of a five-run eighth inning, giving the Cleveland Guardians a 6-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers in Game 2 of their American League wild-card series Wednesday afternoon.
The Central Division champion Guardians forced a winner-take-all Game 3 at home Thursday, when they will attempt to become the first team to advance after losing Game 1 since the current wild-card format became permanent in 2022.
Rocchio’s 379-foot shot to right field occurred after Troy Melton (0-1) retired C.J. Kayfus to start the eighth, giving Cleveland a 2-1 advantage. Steven Kwan followed with a double and was driven in by Daniel Schneeman.
“We always say we try to always play without pressure, that’s our type of ball. This is competing time. There’s no self-awareness. It’s being competitive as you can,” Rocchio said. “Josey (Jose Ramirez) told me if he’s going to throw you a cutter, swing like it’s a fastball, and that’s what I was able to do.”
Melton said he was targeting “middle in” with the pitch that landed in the seats but “it was just too much plate.”
The Tigers left 15 on base and went 1-for-15 with runners in scoring position.
“It was a tough day,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “They made the most of their opportunities and we left 15 guys on. I think that paints the picture.”
Melton intentionally walked Ramirez and was replaced by Brant Hurter, who surrendered Naylor’s first career postseason homer to right, making it 5-1 and sending the non-sellout crowd of 26,669 into a frenzy.
“There are really not many positives now. It sucks, but if I wake up tomorrow, that will be a positive,” Melton said. “We’re a good team and we deserve to be here. We’ll be ready.”
Guardians closer Cade Smith (1-0) worked the final 1 1/3 innings, loading the bases in the ninth on a walk, hit batter and error by Rocchio before Dillon Dingler lined out to first to end the game.
Melton faced five batters, allowing four runs on three hits and a walk.
Detroit tied the game and appeared to go ahead 2-1 in the fourth on Javier Baez’s single, but a replay review by Cleveland erased the second run as Zach McKinstry was called out trying to advance to third base before Dingler touched home plate.
Riley Greene easily scored on the hit to center, but Chase DeLauter charged the ball and threw out McKinstry with the tag by Ramirez. Third base umpire Stu Scheurwater initially called him safe.
The Guardians opened the scoring in the first on a 411-foot homer by George Valera off Casey Mize, giving Cleveland its first lead in the series. It was the only hit and run allowed by Mize in three-plus innings, which included two walks and one strikeout.
Guardians starter Tanner Bibee worked 4 2/3 innings, giving up one run on five hits. The right-hander struck out six, walked three and threw a wild pitch.
DeLauter — Cleveland’s No. 2 prospect — made his major league debut and dropped a high fly from Gleyber Torres on the first ball he touched for an error. He became the sixth player to make his major league debut in a postseason game, going 0-for-2 with a walk.
Detroit won the opener 2-1 behind a wild-card record 14 strikeouts from reigning Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal. Both Tigers runs were unearned thanks to errors by right fielder Johnathan Rodriguez and first baseman Jhonkensy Noel.
–Brian Dulik, Field Level Media
