The Detroit Tigers moved one step closer to earning a spot in the American League Championship Series on Wednesday afternoon against the Cleveland Guardians.
Playing in front of the home crowd at Comerica Field, they won 3-0 to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series. Game 4 will be played on Thursday evening with the first pitch scheduled for 6:08 p.m. ET.
The Game 3 victory was another showing of how the Tigers continue to defy the odds despite some unorthodox game plans. Manager A.J. Hinch has pushed all the right buttons with his pitching staff in non-Tarik Skubal-started games.
Openers have been used exclusively, with bulk inning pitchers behind them and roles constantly change based on what is needed.
On Wednesday, Beau Brieske, who recorded the save in Game 2, closed out the fifth, pitched the entire sixth and got one out in the seventh. Tyler Holton, who has two starts this postseason, closed out the game in the ninth inning.
In the process, the pitching staff made some incredible postseason history. As shared by Sarah Langs of MLB.com, the previous low for the number of outs a starting pitcher recorded in a shutout was five by the San Diego Padres in National League Wild Card Series Game 3.
On Wednesday, Detroit received only three outs from their starter in the shutout. The Padres are now in third for that statistics, as the Los Angeles Dodgers shut them out in Game 3 of their series with a starter recording only four outs.
entering today, the fewest outs by a starter in a team shutout in postseason history was 5, by SD in 2020 NLWCS G3
TODAY…LAD got 4 outs from their starter, DET got 3 — and both teams threw shutouts
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) October 10, 2024
Keider Montero, who was the only starter that Hinch used other than Skubal for a large portion of the second half, pitched the first inning against Cleveland before being relieved by Brant Hurter, who threw 3.1 innings.
All in all, six Tigers pitchers were used in Game 3. Sean Guenther recorded one out in the seventh inning before being replaced by Will Vest, who finished that inning before pitching a clean eighth as well.
A lot of credit should be given to this group for always being ready regardless of what their role is. Whether they come into a game and pitch in the third inning or ninth inning, they bring the same level of competitiveness to the mound.
Hinch deserves praise for how he has navigated such a difficult situation as well. He seemingly gets the decision right every time. His staff has allowed only 10 runs in five postseason games with back-to-back 3-0 shutout victories.