Jose Ramirez hit a tiebreaking solo homer off the right field foul pole in the sixth inning, and the Cleveland Guardians sent the visiting Detroit Tigers to a fourth straight defeat with Monday night’s 2-1 victory.
With one out in a 1-1 game and Detroit starter Jack Flaherty (0-2) still on the mound, Ramirez sent a 2-2 fastball high and deep to right field, where it banged off the foul pole to put Cleveland ahead with his seventh homer of the season.
It was the second straight heroic game for Ramirez, who halted an 0-for-19 slump with his two-run, go-ahead homer in the sixth inning of Sunday’s 4-1 win over the Los Angeles Angels.
Cleveland’s Triston McKenzie allowed a homer to Riley Greene on the first pitch of the game, then yielded just two other hits and three walks while striking out six in five innings. Sam Hentges, Nick Sandlin (3-0), Hunter Gaddis and Emmanuel Clase (11 saves) kept the Tigers in check and helped the American League Central-leading Guardians to their third consecutive victory following a 3-6 stretch.
Detroit, which totaled six runs while being swept in three games at the New York Yankees over the weekend, stranded nine men and went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position Monday. The Tigers had runners on first and second with one out in the eighth and couldn’t come through.
The Tigers are 7-7 in one-run contests and have been held to one run or fewer 10 times in 35 games this season.
Greene wasted no time getting the Tigers on the board, tagging McKenzie with a long ball over the wall, just right of center field. However, Cleveland answered with a run of their own in the bottom of the first when Estevan Florial opened with a double and eventually scored on Will Brennan’s single to right field.
Flaherty allowed both Detroit runs on six hits and one walk. He struck out six.
Called up to replace the injured Steven Kwan, prized Guardians prospect Kyle Manzardo struck out in each of his three plate appearances in his major league debut Monday.
–Field Level Media
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