Editor’s note: Follow Guardians vs. Tigers live updates and highlights from Game 3 of the AL Wild Card Series.
CLEVELAND — The bullpen-game strategy the Guardians deployed backfired Oct. 2 in a winner-take-all Game 3 of the American League Wild Card Series against the Detroit Tigers.
The floodgates opened for the Tigers during their four-run seventh inning, putting the Guardians in a 6-1 hole at Progressive Field.
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During a pregame news conference, Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said he expected a bullpen game. It’s understandable why the Guardians turned to the bullpen after starting pitcher Slade Cecconi worked for just 2⅓ innings.
Either way, the Tigers pounced.
With the bases loaded and one out, Wenceel Perez hit a two-run single off Guardians reliever Hunter Gaddis, who inherited two runners earlier in the seventh inning. Then Spencer Torkelson and Riley Greene each added an RBI single.
All of it combined for a four-run seventh inning and a 6-1 Tigers lead.
The Guardians were able to claw back somewhat in the bottom of the eighth inning. Jose Ramirez hit a ball to the right side of the infield with two runners on, resulting in an error at first base when Tigers pitcher Will Vest went over to cover. After flubbing the catch at first, however, Vest hustled to retrieve the ball and gunned out Ramirez at second base to end the inning.
Broadcasters were critical of Ramirez, who appeared to be jogging while trying to advance to second on the error. Instead, Vest made a great play to throw him out at second. Ramirez was initially ruled safe, but the call was overturned via replay. The play cut the Tigers lead to 6-3.
It was a rare baserunning mistake by Ramirez at a crucial point in the game and season.
Vest then closed out the game for the Tigers to end the Guardians’ season, which didn’t get beyond the AL Wild Card round after a stellar month of September that both got them into postseason play and won them the AL Central.
The Beacon Journal sports department can be contacted via email at bjsports@thebeaconjournal.com.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Floodgates open for Tigers with 7th inning rally, Guardians season ends with Game 3 loss
Reporting by Nate Ulrich, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
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