The Detroit Tigers advanced to the American League Division Series with a series clinching 6-3 victory over the Cleveland Guardians. The Tigers regained their form in the Wild Card series after a brutal end-of-season slump that saw them lose their grip on the American League Central Division title.
The score was tied at 1-1 in the top of the sixth inning, and that's when catcher Dillon Dingler put his offensive imprint on the game. He hit a home run to centerfield off Joey Cantillo that gave the the Tigers a 2-1 lead. After holding the Guardians scoreless in the bottom of that inning, the Tigers built on that momentum by adding four more runs in the top of the seventh inning. Wenceel Perez drove in two runs that inning while Spencer Torkelson and Riley Greene also had RBIs that inning.
Prior to the Tigers gaining that advantage, the Guardians had tied the game at 1-1 on an RBI single by Jose Ramirez, the team's best player. Ramirez tried to give Cleveland the advantage by attempting to steal second base. Dingler would not allow that to happen, as he threw out Ramirez with a perfect throw.
Dingler became the first Tigers catcher to hit a home run and throw out a base runner in the same postseason game since Lance Parrish, per the ESPN broadcast of the game. The veteran Tiger catcher accomplished the feat in the 1984 World Series against the San Diego Padres. He homered and threw out a base stealer in the decisive fifth game of that series as the Tigers brought the title home 41 years ago.
Tigers on the verge of advancing after brutal September
The Tigers had been one of the best and most consistent American League teams through the end of August. They had built a 15 1/2-game lead over the Guardians at one point in the season and had a 9 1/2-game lead in September. Nevertheless, the Tigers went into a disastrous slump and they were caught and passed by the Guardians and lost the division title.
However, they were able to qualify for the playoffs as the No. 6 team in the American League postseason structure and they drew the Guardians in the Wild Card round.
The Tigers will face the American League West champion Seattle Mariners in American League Division Series. The winner of that series will play in the American League Championship Series.
