Just when it looked like the Cleveland Guardians would lose on Wednesday, they were able to tie the game in the ninth inning and win it in extras, beating the Detroit Tigers 3-2 and earning their fifth consecutive victory.
Cleveland, which has now won eight of its last nine ballgames, couldn’t solve starter Drew Anderson but saved the best for the late stages. They are now 29-22, firmly at the top of the AL Central.
Five in a row!#GuardsBall | #GuardiWWWWWins pic.twitter.com/X3NCHAZtWZ
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) May 21, 2026
As it has happened for the entire year, the Guardians offered right-hander Tanner Bibee minimal run support. The talented starter was an inning away from losing and seeing his record fall to 0-7 on the 2026 campaign despite pitching eight innings and lowering his ERA to 3.75. He conceded a single run, allowing four hits and walking just one batter, striking out five.
Bibee got some late help from his bullpen and the offense, though, even though he ended up with a no-decision.
Down 1-0, the Guardians’ hitters finally got things going in the ninth inning, thanks to Daniel Schneemann and Travis Bazzana’s consecutive singles. Steven Kwan hit a sacrifice bunt to move both runners into scoring position, and Patrick Bailey punched the tying run in with an RBI groundout.
Erik Sabrowski opened the bottom of the ninth with consecutive walks to Kevin McGonigle and Dillon Dingler. He then struck out Riley Greene, and at that point, manager Stephen Vogt decided to remove him and put Colin Holderman in.
The right-hander proceeded to strike out Matt Vierling and Wenceel Perez to end the threat and send the game to extras, where Angel Martinez and Jose Ramirez took over.
Martinez, one of the most productive hitters in the Guardians’ lineup, tripled to bring the ‘ghost’ runner home with the go-ahead run, and then J-Ram doubled in a valuable insurance run to put the game 3-1. Zack McKinstry drove in the Tigers’ second run of the night in the bottom of the tenth with a single off Cade Smith, but the closer regained his composure to retire Hao-Yu Lee, Spencer Torkelson, and Cole Keith to lock up his 16th save of the year.
The Tigers had scored the first run of the game in the seventh frame. Bibee opened it by walking McGonigle, but then got Dingler to fly out to center field. Unfortunately for the Guardians pitcher, Greene singled to put runners in the corners for Vierling, who came through for the home club with a sac fly. It wasn’t enough for them to win, though.
The two AL Central foes will play the series finale on Thursday afternoon, starting at 1:10 pm ET. Joey Cantillo will toe the rubber for Cleveland and will face the talented Casey Mize. The Guardians will be going for the sweep.
NEXT: Guardians Offense Has Turned A Corner And The Numbers Are Undeniable
