Guardians Defeat Tigers 6-1, Force Decisive AL Wild Card Game 3

The Cleveland Guardians evened their AL Wild Card Series against the Detroit Tigers with a 6-1 victory in Game 2, forcing a decisive Game 3. Key moments included Brayan Rocchio's go-ahead solo home run and Bo Naylor's first career postseason three-run homer during a pivotal five-run eighth inning. The Tigers struggled offensively, leaving 15 runners on base and going 1-for-15 with runners in scoring position, despite Javier Báez's RBI single that briefly tied the game. Guardians starter Tanner Bibee and closer Cade Smith effectively limited Detroit's offense, while Tigers' Jack Flaherty, a seasoned October competitor, is expected to start Game 3 with the season on the line. The winner of the series will face the Seattle Mariners in the Division Series, with no team having advanced after losing Game 1 since the expanded wild-card format began in 2022. Cleveland aims to become the first to overcome this hurdle as the decisive game unfolds at their home field.