CLEVELAND — The Detroit Tigers kept coming to bat with runners in scoring position in Game 2 of their AL Wild Card Series against the Cleveland Guardians.
With one exception, they failed to come through, paving the way for Cleveland’s 6-1 victory that evened the best-of-3 series Wednesday.
The Tigers had a franchise postseason-record 15 men left on base, going 1 for 15 with runners in scoring position. Javier Baez accounted for the lone hit in the fourth, singling off Guardians starter Tanner Bibee to score All-Star outfielder Riley Greene.
“We were one swing away, one mistake from blowing that thing open,” Greene said. “It was that close. That’s baseball. You need to hit pitches. You need to find the barrel. It’s all of us.”
Instead, the Guardians scored five runs in the eighth inning off relievers Troy Melton and Brant Hurter to break it open.
Detroit became the first team to strand 15 runners in the playoffs since the Los Angeles Angels had 16 in Game 2 of the 2009 AL Championship Series at the New York Yankees. Its former high was 14 in Game 3 of the 1984 World Series against San Diego.
The most recent ballclub to go 1 for 15 or worse with RISP in a postseason game was the 2008 Philadelphia Phillies, who matched those numbers in Game 2 of the World Series at Tampa Bay.
“Obviously, they made the most of their opportunities and we left 15 guys on,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “It was a hard-fought game and the score doesn’t really indicate how close the game was. But we kept giving ourselves a chance.”
Casey Mize, Tyler Holton and Kyle Finnegan didn’t allow Cleveland to advance anyone past first base in the first seven innings, but the Guardians went 2 for 3 in the eighth against Melton and Hurter.
Melton gave up a go-ahead solo homer to Brayan Rocchio and back-to-back doubles to Steven Kwan and Daniel Schneemann, in addition to intentionally walking Jose Ramirez. Hurter entered and retired Kyle Manzardo before allowing Bo Naylor’s three-run shot.
“There are not too many positives now,” Melton said. “It sucks, but if I wake up tomorrow, that will be a positive. I guess.”
Báez initially was credited with a two-run single as Dillon Dingler also raced home, but a video review ruled that Zach McKinstry was tagged out at third base before Dingler touched the plate. McKinstry had been called safe by umpire Stu Scheurwater.
Instead of a 2-1 lead in the fourth, the game remained tied until the eighth.
“It was like a four-minute delay, like that tells you exactly how close that play is,” Hinch said. “I don’t mind that at all. It’s just McKinstry is faster than Dingler in going two bases.”
Greene, who led the Tigers with 36 homers and 111 RBIs in the regular season, supported McKinstry’s decision to try and grab an extra base.
“We all thought he was safe,” Greene said. “We’ve been going from first to third all year, and we’re not going to change now. That’s the way we play.”
Greene also expressed no issues with Hinch’s decision to pinch hit for him in the seventh with two on and one out. Greene was 1 for 3, but Jahmai Jones took his spot and struck out against left-hander Tim Herrin.
Jones batted .212 (7 of 33) as a pinch hitter in the regular season and had a .288 average with seven homers and 17 RBIs in 104 at-bats against lefties.
“A.J. thought that was the right call and we’re not going to think twice about it,” Greene said calmly. “I didn’t think anything. I trust him and I trust his judgment. We call Jahmai the ‘lefty killer’ and he’s incredible.”
