David Fry delivered in a big way on Thursday, hitting a two-run homer and collecting three RBIs as the Cleveland Guardians defeated the Detroit Tigers 5-4. It ties up the American League Division Series at 2-2, sending it back to Progressive Field in Cleveland for Game 5.
The Tigers used their “pitching chaos” system against Cleveland, but it didn’t help. A capacity crowd at Comerica Park was ready to rock and roll for a series win. Well, the only rock and roll taking place in this ALDS for a Game 5 will be back in Cleveland.
Cleveland Guardians Deliver In Clutch
Down 3-2 entering the seventh inning, Fry leveled out on a pitch and drove it out over the left-field wall. Fry also picked up a key RBI in the ninth inning thanks to a solid bunt, scoring Brayan Rocchio. The Cleveland Guardians played some smart baseball on Thursday, getting key hits and contributions in clutch moments. Fry definitely was aware of how he and his teammates responded to the Game 4 pressure.
“We’ve shown that all year long, that’s who these guys are,” he said, The Associated Press reported. “We have a bunch of tough dudes. We get down 2-1 and we’re in the locker room like it’s just another day. We show up ready to play to try and get a win. And let’s go win Game 5.”
Thursday? Fry Day.#ForTheLand | #GuardsBall pic.twitter.com/FuK5rqZi7S
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) October 11, 2024
Cleveland baseball fans, though, have known about the tough times the franchise has had in elimination games. The Indians/Guardians lost 11 straight elimination games going back to Game 6 of the 1997 World Series. Thursday’s victory snapped that streak in two.
The Detroit Tigers were down 2-1 in the fifth inning when Zach McKinstry smashed a home run off Tanner Bibee. Wenceel Pérez added an RBI single in the sixth inning, making it 3-1 Detroit at the time.
Detroit Tigers Pitching Slips Up
Tigers pitcher Beau Brieske had been pretty solid in postseason appearances this season. He’d posted 5 1/3 innings of scoreless ball against the Houston Astros and Guardians. But Fry, who was pinch-hitting for Kyle Manzardo, connected on a Brieske fastball and gave Cleveland a one-run lead. It was the second pinch-hit home run in Cleveland postseason history. The first one? It was done by Hank Majeski way back in Game 4 of the 1954 World Series.
Emmanuel Clase got five batters out in his time on the mound for the Cleveland Guardians, securing a 4-3 lead in the eighth inning. Detroit had runners at second and third base with two outs, but Clase struck out Trey Sweeney on a 100.9 mph cutter.
Detroit was not going down without a fight. In the ninth inning, pinch-hitter Justyn-Henry Malloy smacked a leadoff double. He then moved to third on Parker Meadows’ groundout and scored on Jace Jung’s groundout. But that was all the Tigers would get, sending the series to a deciding game.
Either the Guardians or Tigers will earn the right to go play in the American League Championship Series on Saturday. They will face the New York Yankees, who defeated the Kansas City Royals 3-1 on Thursday night. That gave the Yankees a 3-1 ALDS victory at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo.
Detroit will not need to use its pitching-by-committee plan on Saturday. The Tigers will send lightning-fast left-hander Tarik Skubal to the mound, giving the hard-throwing southpaw a chance to get a key win. Cleveland will give left-hander Matthew Boyd the ball as its Game 5 starter. Boyd last lost a Game 5 to the Yankees in the 2022 ALCS.
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