Game Recap 8/19/23 | Guardians Lose to the Tigers 4-3

Post-Game Live Recap

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3 Things About Guardians Loss to Tigers:

1 – Early HR Sinks Bibee

Tanner Bibee has been fantastic in the past two months, not losing a game since June 13th, but that changed tonight as the Tigers bounced on Bibee early with a three-run homer in the 1st, and the Tigers never looked back. 

2 – RISP

Even though the Guardians outhit the Tigers nine to seven, the big stat of the night was runners left in scoring position. The Guardians had six chances going one for six compared to eleven opportunities for the Tigers (the Tigers went 2 for 11). 

3 – 8th Inning Missed Opportunity 

Cleveland did have a chance to score in the bottom of the 8th with the score 4-3 with runners on 2nd and 3rd with one out and Bo Naylor up.  Bo popped up at the home plate, and the next batter Myles Straw struck out, killing the rally.

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Game Summary

Kerry Carpenter smacked a three-run home run, and Javier Báez added a solo shot as the Detroit Tigers secured a 4-3 triumph over the Cleveland Guardians on Saturday night, marking the first loss in over two months for rookie Tanner Bibee.

Carpenter’s connection came during the opening inning against Bibee (9-3), who had previously triumphed in his last seven decisions and remained unbeaten since June 13. Báez’s home run in the seventh inning off Nick Sandlin pushed the Tigers ahead 4-2.

Matt Manning (5-4) held the Guardians to a single run and five hits across six innings. The right-handed pitcher had previously struggled with a 17.61 ERA in two earlier outings at Progressive Field.

Cleveland had several opportunities throughout the game. In the seventh inning, Detroit’s Alex Lange maneuvered out of a bases-loaded predicament, while Andrew Vasquez successfully navigated a tight spot in the eighth. Jason Foley sealed the deal for the Tigers in the ninth by retiring the Guardians’ 1-2-3 hitters, earning his seventh save.

The Tigers now boast a 6-3 record against the Guardians, who are in pursuit of first-place Minnesota in the AL Central. Notably, Detroit hasn’t clinched a season series victory over Cleveland since 2015.

Kole Calhoun delivered a home run, and rookie Bo Naylor contributed three hits for the Guardians, who narrowed the gap to 4-3 in the seventh inning thanks to Steven Kwan’s RBI single.

In the fifth inning, Cleveland squandered a promising scoring opportunity due to two errors by the Tigers on a single play. With a runner at first, Naylor doubled to deep center. Initially held at third, Gabriel Arias capitalized on a misaligned relay throw from Tigers center fielder Riley Greene to shortstop Báez and hustled home. Báez’s throw to the plate was slightly flawed, and catcher Jake Rogers couldn’t handle it cleanly, resulting in Arias scoring and Naylor advancing to third. Nonetheless, Manning regrouped and escaped the jam by inducing three consecutive infield groundouts, leaving the tying run stranded.

Bibee, who had remained undefeated in his previous nine starts since June 24, faced early difficulties against the Tigers. He yielded a single and navigated a challenging first inning, during which he struggled to retire Spencer Torkelson, ultimately conceding a two-out walk after a 10-pitch battle. Carpenter promptly followed with his 17th home run, a hit that barely cleared the right field wall, extending the Tigers’ lead to 3-0.

Trainers Room

Cal Quantrill (shoulder inflammation) is scheduled to throw 80 pitches in a start on Sunday for Triple-A Columbus at Syracuse. This will be Quantrill’s third rehab start and could lead to him being activated soon.

Up Next

Sunday 8/20 1:40 PM EST – Series Finale vs. Detroit Tigers