American Coney Island: ‘We’re prepared, always’ for Tigers ALDS
M.L. Elrick takes us inside American Coney Island on Oct. 9, 2024 in Detroit as the Tigers host their first MLB postseason game since 2014.
The Detroit Tigers, having grabbed homefield advantage with a stunning 3-0 victory in Game 2 of the ALDS, look to move within a game of winning the best-of-five series in the first playoff game at Comerica Park in a decade.
Once again, Tigers manager A.J. Hinch played coy with announcing his Game 3 starter; he would only tell reporters on Tuesday that two pitchers were unavailable: left-hander Tarik Skubal, who threw seven scoreless innings in a Game 2 no-decision, and right-hander Reese Olson, who threw five innings in relief in the Tigers’ Game 1 loss.
The Tigers ultimately landed on rookie right-hander Keider Montero to kick things off after he showed he had made some progress in working out some kinks in Game 1, throwing two innings and allowing no runs with three strikeouts in Game 1.
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The Guardians, meanwhile, will start 13-year veteran Alex Cobb. The right-hander has a pair of postseason appearances, back in 2013 with the Tampa Bay Rays. More recently, he has made just three starts this season, hampered by injuries. The most recent of which is a blister on the middle finger of his throwing hand, which cost him most of the final month of the season.
The first pitch for Game 3 is at 3:08 p.m. at Comerica Park in Detroit. The game will be televised on TBS and can be streamed on Sling. The Tigers are a slight -115 moneyline favorite, according to BetMGM.
Follow for live updates of Tigers-Guardians Game 3 below.
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Detroit Tigers vs. Cleveland Guardians Game 3 live updates, highlights
∎ Box score.
Game notes and highlights to come.
Detroit Tigers vs. Cleveland Guardians Game 3 pregame reading
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While Carpenter’s 423-foot blast got all the attention, he wouldn’t have gotten to the plate against Cleveland closer Emmanuel Clase if not for shortstop Trey Sweeney reaching base first. Sweeney, of course, came over to the Tigers as a prospect included in the deal that sent right-hander Jack Flaherty to the Los Angeles Dodgers. But the Freep’s Jeff Seidel says the shortstop is anything but a throw-in.
Comerica Park will almost certainly be rocking for its first playoff game since Oct. 5, 2014 — a 2-1 loss to end a sweep by the Baltimore Orioles in the ALDS. The Tigers haven’t won a playoff game at Comerica since Oct. 16, 2013 — a Game 5 win over the Boston Red Sox in the ALCS. But expect a raucous crowd enjoying the kind of playoff run that comes around once in a generation, according to the Freep’s Shawn Windsor.
Well, at least for the Tigers. As the Freep’s Dave Birkett points out this morning, the Tigers’ near-miraculous recovery from a 10-game deficit on Aug. 10 parallels that of the 2022 Lions, who rose from a 1-7 start to barely miss the playoffs and planted the seeds of a squad that won a franchise-record 14 games (including the postseason) last season and is a frontrunner to make its first Super Bowl this season.
Detroit Tigers ALDS Game 3 lineup
- CF Parker Meadows
- DH Kerry Carpenter
- 3B Matt Vierling
- LF Riley Greene
- RF Wenceel Pérez
- 2B Colt Keith
- 1B Spencer Torkelson
- SS Trey Sweeney
- C Jake Rogers
Cleveland Guardians ALDS Game 3 lineup
- LF Steven Kwan
- DH Kyle Manzardo
- 3B José Ramírez
- 1B Josh Naylor
- CF Lane Thomas
- Andrés Giménez
- RF Will Brennan
- C Bo Naylor
- SS Brayan Rocchio
Jake Rogers (C), Dillon Dingler (C), Andy Ibáñez (2B/3B), Colt Keith (2B), Jace Jung (3B), Zach McKinstry (UTIL), Trey Sweeney (SS), Spencer Torkelson (1B), Matt Vierling (3B/OF), Riley Greene (OF), Parker Meadows (CF), Kerry Carpenter (OF/DH), Wenceel Pérez (OF), Justyn-Henry Malloy (DH/OF), Beau Brieske (RHP), Jason Foley (RHP), Sean Guenther (LHP), Brenan Hanifee (RHP), Tyler Holton (LHP), Brant Hurter (LHP), Jackson Jobe (RHP), Ty Madden (RHP), Keider Montero (RHP), Reese Olson (RHP), Tarik Skubal (LHP), Will Vest (RHP).
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