DETROIT (Michigan News Source) – Making Motown Music in Detroit for the first time in 10 years, the Tigers’ roar could be heard by fans everywhere around Michigan in the 3-0 shutout win over Cleveland in the American League Divisional Series. Detroit has a 2-1 lead in the series and has a chance to win the series in game four on Thursday night at 6:08 p.m.
Hinch decided on the day of the start who would pitch, as Brant Hurter received the start. Six pitchers were used, as Hurter went 3.1 innings for the win and Tyler Holton the save. Beau Brieske pitched two innings after closing game three and recorded three strikeouts.
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“Isn’t it crazy how Beau close game two and then pitches the middle of the game. Holton opens game one and then closes game three. For those that have been around us and what we’re doing, that’s kind of how we’ve don it, and the guys continue to respond,” said Detroit manager A.J. Hinch.
Detroit had five hits from five players, and three brought in a run each. Matt Vierling, Riley Greene, and Spencer Torkelson all had a RBI. Greene brought in the first run with two outs in the first inning, singling in Parker Meadows. Vierling made it 2-0 in the third inning on a sacrifice fly, and Torkelson doubled in the final run as Colt Keith scored in the eighth inning.
Vierling saved the shutout at the top of the seventh inning by jumping up and snagging David Fry’s hit off the bat. The catch at third base saved two runs from coming in and ended the Guardians’ threat.
“He likes to pull the ball a lot,” says Vierling on getting the line out off of Fry’s bat. “I was ready for anything that came my way. I didn’t have time to think. I just had to react.”
Detroit’s two shutouts are a first in post-season history. In the 1905 World Series, the first three games were shutouts, and this series has matched that for the first time in 119 years.
“This is a huge victory for us, just to see the stadium and the whole city come out for the first playoff game in a decade,” commented Vierling. Comerica Park hosted the most fans in stadium history at 44,485 as they chanted, “Let’s go Tigers.”
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Game four starts at 6:08 p.m. on TNT/Max as the Tigers look to take the series.
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