The Guardians 9th inning comeback fell short in the first game of the Wild Card playoff series, resulting in a 2-1 loss to Detroit Tuesday afternoon. The team failed to get Jose Ram铆rez home from third with no outs. Ramirez was tagged out after Tigers reliever Will Vest fielded a grounder. Cleveland must win on Wednesday to force a decisive Game 3.
Ideastream Public Media's commentator Terry Pluto credits Detroit ace Tarik Skubal for Tuesday's win. Skubal tied Detroit鈥檚 postseason record with 14 strikeouts.
鈥淚 know one thing, you don't have time to spend a lot of time looking back, but you say there was an excellent opportunity really to beat the best pitcher in the American League," Pluto said. "And (Cleveland) fell a little short.鈥�
Pluto said there's little margin for error when a team is facing Skubal, who will likely win his second consecutive American League Cy Young Award.
Guardians rookie Jonathan Rodriguez and first baseman Jhonkensy Noel committed costly errors that led to both Detroit runs.
Looking ahead, Pluto said the Guardians have reason for optimism with Tanner Bibee starting Game 2 Wednesday afternoon.
鈥淗e's pitched extremely well and has done well against Detroit," Pluto said. "Casey Mize is pitching for the Tigers. He's not Tarik Skubal so that that's a relief."
Bibee made four postseason starts last year and had a 3.45 ERA.
鈥淢y guess (is), he's pitched extremely well in September," Pluto said. "I think he'll do it again.鈥�
Still, the Guardians鈥� lack of offensive production is a concern.
鈥淭he big thing is, can the Guardians keep rolling out lineups with guys hitting under .200 and find ways to win?鈥� Pluto said. 鈥淕ame 1 was Noel, he was hitting under .200. So was Rodriguez. And so was the catcher, Austin Hedges.鈥�
After their Game 1 loss, manager Stephen Vogt told reporters that the team has had its back up against a wall "for months."
Pluto said there's a major difference.
鈥淭hey haven鈥檛 had their backs up against the wall with only one game, lose or go home,鈥� Pluto said. 鈥淏ecause, if you remember over the weekend, it was on Saturday night with that crazy game where C.J. Kayfus was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded that knocked in the winning run. And that earned them a spot as at least a Wild Card team in the playoffs.
鈥淪o Sunday, even if they lost, they still would have been in the playoffs," Pluto said. "They managed to have a big comeback win in extra innings, and that gave them the Central Division title. This is different. This is a game where really you win or you go home. So I鈥檓 just kind of curious to see how they react.鈥�
Adding intrigue to Game 2 is the potential debut of top prospect Chase DeLauter, who was added to the Guardians鈥� postseason roster.
鈥淗e鈥檚 an outfielder (and) when he has been healthy, which has not been a whole lot, he鈥檚 hit for power," Pluto said. "He鈥檚 hit doubles (and) he鈥檚 athletic. He鈥檚 like 6鈥�2鈥�, 210 (pounds). Now, he has being playing the last couple of weeks, sort of these different games they arranged for their young prospects in Arizona. And they just decided, let's just bring him up and put them on the roster for the playoffs. And I'm assuming if they do that, they'll probably drop them in the lineup."
Pluto likes the Guardians chances in Game 2 if the pitching holds up and they can find a way to score a few runs.
"Really if they win Game 2, all right, then Game 3, it鈥檚 one team鈥檚 winning (and) one team losing," Pluto said. "It鈥檚 almost like starting all over again.鈥�
