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The Detroit Tigers were eliminated from the MLB playoffs with a 7-3 loss to Cleveland

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The Detroit Tigers were eliminated from the MLB playoffs with a 7-3 loss to Cleveland

CLEVELAND – Guardians center fielder Lane Thomas finished the Detroit Tigers' season one hit ahead of the American League's best pitcher.

After pitching relatively smoothly for the first four innings, Tarik Skubal, the AL's Triple Crown winner, ran into trouble in the bottom of the fifth inning and couldn't break free.

Andrés Giménez, Steven Kwan and David Fry loaded the bases with one out on three singles, setting up Skubal against All-Star José Ramírez. Skubal tried to challenge Ramírez with a 99.9 mph fastball inside, but hit Cleveland's bat on the hand to thwart Cleveland's first run and tie the game at 1-1.

Thomas came next after a visit to the mound and smashed the first pitch he saw – a 96.7 mph sinker up the middle – for a grand slam that gave Cleveland a 5-1 lead and the fuse of the crowd to cheer on non-stop Final Four innings.

CATCH-UP: Detroit Tigers vs. Cleveland Guardians ALDS Game 5 Updates

Cleveland's five-run inning proved enough to survive Detroit's furious rally attempts late. The Tigers scored two more runs, but couldn't catch Cleveland and ultimately lost 7-3. Skubal gave up five of the seven runs, which was the most he allowed in a 2024 start. He pitched six innings, allowing five runs on six hits and one walk with six strikeouts.

The Tigers finished with a record of 90-79 over 169 games, including the seven postseason games (86-76 in the regular season). It's the second straight time the Tigers have lost in the ALDS after reaching the postseason. The Guardians will face the New York Yankees in the ALCS starting Monday.

The comeback attempt fails

The Tigers scored a run back in the top of the sixth inning on an RBI single by Jake Rogers and loaded the bases with two outs to bring in slugger Kerry Carpenter as a potential run starter, making the score 5-2. But Carpenter missed a high fastball and struck out third to end the threat.

In the seventh, Colt Keith doubled off the center field wall to score Riley Greene to first, but the Tigers ended the inning with two strikeouts. Thomas drove in another run in the seventh inning, extending Cleveland's lead back to 6-3.

Closer Emmanuel Clase entered the game in the eighth inning with a runner on for a possible six-out save and shut out the Tigers by, among other things, striking out Carpenter to end the inning and staring him down as he hit the Hill left. Cleveland added another insurance run and Clase pitched a scoreless ninth to complete the series win.

A BREATHTAKING STORY: Stressful? You can bet on it. But if the Detroit Tigers say this ALDS Game 5 is going to be fun, then you're getting something out of it.

A heroic feat in the area of ​​the thigh muscles

Carpenter's status has been in question over the past 48 hours after he left Game 4 early with a hamstring injury. But the left-hander was ready to play from the bench and made an immediate impact, despite still being significantly hampered.

Early in the fifth inning, Trey Sweeney drew a leadoff walk and Carpenter was subbed in for leadoff hitter Justyn-Henry Malloy to face right-hander Andrew Walters. Carpenter still had the same lightning-quick swing and scored on a Walters fastball to make it 3-1. He drove it 370 feet to the wall in right center field, beating Sweeney from the start and briefly giving the Tigers a 1-0 lead.

Kwan won't come out

Steven Kwan earned a reputation as a thorn in the Tigers' side in all five games. He entered Game 5 batting .500 (8 for 16) in the series and finished with a third straight three-hitout to finish the series at 11 for 21 (.523). He set a Guardians franchise record with three consecutive three-hit games and for most hits in a Division Series with 11. Kwan started the rally in the fifth inning with a runaway single against Skubal, who snuck under Matt Vierling's glove at third.

Kwan finished Game 5 with three hits in five appearances and two runs scored, while Thomas went 2-for-4 with five RBIs.

Kwan would be nominated for series MVP along with Thomas if he were in the ALDS. Thomas scored the game-winning hits in Games 1 and 5, both on massive home runs to left with runners on base, while Kwan reached base 13 times in just five games.

Couldn't convert early

The Tigers had traffic on the basepaths in the first two innings but were unable to get a run across the plate against former Tiger Matthew Boyd. Justyn-Henry Malloy was hit by the first pitch of the game and Riley Greene put on two runners in the first inning, with one out. But Boyd struck out Andy Ibáñez and Wenceel Pérez to end the threat.

Parker Meadows hit a one-out double on the other side of the line and then stole third to score a runner from 90 feet out with one out, but Rogers came out and Sweeney struck out, keeping it scoreless . Boyd was ejected after two scoreless innings with five strikeouts.

Cade Smith replaced Boyd and threw a pitch in the fourth inning, where the Tigers posed another threat. Spencer Torkelson ripped a two-out double to chase Smith and Meadows walked the next at-bat, but Rogers singled.

The Tigers finished the series 5-for-46 (.108) with runners in scoring position, including 1-for-12 in Game 5.

Jared Ramsey is a sports reporter for the Detroit Free Press It covers the city's professional teams, the state's two flagship universities and more. Follow Jared on X @jared_ramsey22and email him at [email protected].

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