| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit Tigers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 2 |
| Cleveland Guardians | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
Cleveland Guardians vs Detroit Tigers May 8 2024 Game Recap
In a riveting extra-inning showdown, the Cleveland Guardians showcased their resilience, staging a late comeback to secure a 5-4 victory over the Detroit Tigers. Shortstop Brayan Rocchio etched his name into the annals of Guardians history, delivering a clutch walk-off single that sent the home crowd into a frenzy and capped off a pulsating contest at Progressive Field.
The Tigers appeared to be in control early on, erupting for four runs in the fourth inning to seize a 4-2 lead. Rookie Colt Keith kickstarted the rally with a two-run single, while Zach McKinstry and Javier Báez added RBI doubles to capitalize on Tanner Bibee’s struggles in the frame.
The Guardians found themselves trailing 4-3 heading into the ninth inning, but David Fry refused to let his team go down without a fight. The slugger launched a towering solo shot off Tigers closer Andrew Chafin, knotting the score and setting the stage for Rocchio’s late-game heroics.
In a memorable debut, Kyle Manzardo, the Guardians’ top power-hitting prospect, recorded his first major league hit with a pinch-hit single in the seventh inning.
With the game knotted at 4-4 in the bottom of the 10th inning, Rocchio stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded and one out. The young shortstop kept his composure, lacing a sharp grounder up the middle to plate the automatic runner Ramón Laureano, setting off a wild celebration on the field.
While Rocchio and Fry provided the offensive fireworks, Emmanuel Clase deserves credit for his stellar relief work. The dominant closer tossed a scoreless 10th inning, earning his second win of the season and preserving the Guardians’ hard-fought victory.
Despite the loss, Tigers starter Reese Olson turned in an impressive performance, limiting the potent Guardians lineup to just one hit over six innings of work. The right-hander surrendered two runs on Austin Hedges’ second-inning single but otherwise kept Cleveland’s bats in check, striking out four batters along the way.
The Tigers were forced to play shorthanded, as outfielder Mark Canha missed his second consecutive game due to an illness that has affected several players and coaches on their road trip. On the Guardians’ side, right-hander Eli Morgan continued his rehab assignment with Triple-A Columbus, allowing two runs in 1 1/3 innings across two appearances as he works his way back from right shoulder inflammation.
The Tigers will debut their City Connect uniforms on Friday when they host the Houston Astros, with right-hander Casey Mize slated to take the mound.
Despite the loss, the Tigers have demonstrated remarkable resilience in close contests this season. With a 7-8 record in one-run games, Detroit leads the majors with 15 such nail-biters.
However, the Tigers will need to find a way to close out these tight affairs more consistently if they hope to climb the standings in the highly competitive American League Central division.
Photos: John Barnes – In Play! magazine
