CLEVELAND — Dillon Dingler hit a go-ahead solo home run in the sixth inning and Wenceel Perez had a two-RBI single in a four-run seventh as the Detroit Tigers pulled away for a 6-3 victory over the Cleveland Guardians in the decisive Game 3 of the American League wild-card series Thursday.
Detroit, which was the third and final AL wild-card qualifier, advances to play the Seattle Mariners in the best-of-five AL Divisional Series. The Central Division champion Guardians fell to 2-9 in winner-take-all postseason contests.
“When you get to elimination games, you’re on the edge of your seat and it only gets better from here,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “We’re one of the few teams still standing at the end.”
Kyle Finnegan (1-0) earned the win with 1 1/3 innings of relief and Will Vest worked the final 1 2/3 in a non-save situation. Vest dropped a throw while covering first base in the eighth, allowing Brayan Rocchio and Steven Kwan to score unearned runs.
The Tigers reached the ALDS for the second year in a row. They delivered the knockout blow in the seventh to extend their advantage to 6-1, beginning with Perez’s one-out liner off Hunter Gaddis after Kerry Carpenter was intentionally walked to load the bases.
Spencer Torkelson and Riley Greene followed with RBI singles as Detroit sent 10 hitters to the plate against Erik Sabrowski, Gaddis and Matt Festa. Javier Baez doubled and scored to start the inning and ended it with a popout.
Dingler’s 401-foot shot off Joey Cantillo (0-1) was his first career postseason hit. It reached the bleachers in left-center field to give Detroit a 2-1 lead. Cantillo entered in the fourth and pitched 2 2/3 innings, allowing one run.
“It was very special, kind of closing the door on them,” said Dingler, who attended Jackson High School in Massillon, Ohio. “I was a longtime Guardians fan growing up and went to games here.”
Detroit went in front 1-0 in the third on a Carpenter double off Tim Herrin that first baseman C.J. Kayfus failed to grab after it took an awkward bounce. Parker Meadows scored on the hit, which came immediately after Guardians starter Slade Cecconi was pulled.
Jose Ramirez’s RBI single through the infield against Jack Flaherty pulled the Guardians even in the fourth, plating George Valera from second. It was Ramirez’s 40th playoff hit, which ranks fifth in franchise history.
Tigers starter Flaherty allowed one run on three hits over 4 2/3 innings, walking two with four strikeouts. Cecconi lasted 2 1/3 innings, giving up one run on two hits with three strikeouts and one walk in his initial postseason start.
“I’ll remember the good times of the year, not what happened today,” outfielder Kwan said. “But you’ve got to remember this feeling and you don’t want to feel like this again.”
In Game 1, Tarik Skubal had a wild-card record 14 strikeouts over 7 2/3 innings as the Tigers held on for a 2-1 win. Rocchio and Bo Naylor homered in a five-run eighth inning that gave the Guardians a 6-1 victory in Game 2.
“You’ve got to feel bad, but you’ve got to keep your head up,” third baseman Ramirez said through an interpreter after Thursday’s game. “It’s going to sting a lot and I believe we can get better.”
–Brian Dulik, Field Level Media
