CLEVELAND — Lane Thomas hit a three-run homer in a five-run outburst before Detroit got an out, and the Cleveland Guardians unleashed their lights-out bullpen to complete a four-hitter in a 7-0 win over the Tigers in an AL Division Series opener on Saturday. Thomas' shot — on his first career postseason swing — helped the Guardians cool off the Tigers, who stormed into the playoffs with a second-half surge before sweeping AL West champion Houston in the wild-card round. "It was electric," said Thomas, who was injured during Washington's World Series run in 2019.
"It was everything I had thought and more." Tanner Bibee pitched 4 2/3 innings before Guardians manager Stephen Vogt swung the door open to baseball's best bullpen to finish off the Tigers. Cleveland's relievers combined for 4 1/3 hitless innings to finish and match the largest shutout victory margin in club postseason history.
Detroit struck out 13 times and didn't get a runner past first in the final four innings. The shutout was the worst in Detroit playoff history since Game 1 of the 1945 World Series. "We're going to see a lot of this bullpen," Tigers manager A.
J. Hinch said. "The more you look at them, hopefully, the more comfortable you get.
" Cleveland's bullpen was as advertised. Rookie Cade Smith (1-0) replaced Bibee and struck out all four batters. Tim Herrin took care of the seventh, Hunter Gaddis the eighth, and Emmanuel Clase, who led the AL with 47 saves, worked the ninth.
David Fry added a two-run.
