The Guardians typically win with small ball, pitching and defense. The Tigers flipped the script on Cleveland with a 2-1 win Tuesday in Game 1 of their best-of-three wild card series.
The Tigers jumped out to the lead with a two-out rally in the top of the first after an error by Guardians outfielder Johnathan Rodríguez allowed Kerry Carpenter to reach second on a single. Spencer Torkelson promptly singled him home with a softly-hit ball to left.
Tarik Skubal took over from there, allowing one run and striking out a career-high 14 in 7 2/3 innings. Cleveland nicked him for a run in the fourth on two infield singles and a walk in typical Guardians fashion.
But the Tigers took advantage of another uncharacteristic error by Cleveland in the seventh to put runners on the corners with none out, then gave the Guardians a taste of their own medicine when Zach McKinstry bunted home Riley Greene to break a 1-1 tie. Both of Detroit's runs were unearned.
Skubal was as dominant as ever for the Tigers, throwing a season-high 107 pitches, one shy of his career high. Reliever Will Vest came on and got a clutch out in the eighth with a man on second to end the inning, then worked around a throwing error by shortstop Javy Baez to lead off the ninth that sent Jose Ramirez to third.
Vest struck out the next batter, then cut down Ramirez on a ground-ball back to the mound, and got the third out on a pop-fly to short.
The Tigers can seal the series with a win in Game 2, with first pitch scheduled for 1:08 pm Wednesday in Cleveland.