The Cleveland Guardians found their way to the American League Championship Series on Saturday after beating the Detroit Tigers 7-3 in the winner-takes-all Game 5 of the Division Series.
The game’s defining moment came in the bottom of the fifth inning, when Lane Thomas hit one of the most important home runs in recent franchise history.
Against the best pitcher in the American League this year, Tarik Skubal, Thomas belted a grand slam that turned a 1-1 tie into a 5-1 lead.
Progressive Field entered a state of frenzy and excitement that is hard to describe with words.
According to an MLB insider, it was the Guardians’ biggest swing since Rajai Davis, and he is absolutely right.
FINAL: Guardians 7, Tigers 3
Cleveland takes the win-or-go-home Game 5 and advances to the ALCS for the first time since 2016. The Guardians will face the New York Yankees on Monday at Yankee Stadium. Detroit’s magical run ends — and in the most surprising fashion possible.…
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) October 12, 2024
In case you don’t remember or haven’t been watching Guardians baseball for that long, Davis hit a game-tying two-run home run against arguably the most dominant reliever of that time (Aroldis Chapman) in Game 7 of the 2016 World Series.
Cleveland went on to lose the game and the series in extras back then, but that was arguably the most important homer in franchise history at that point.
It probably still is, but Thomas’ blast on Saturday is very, very close.
Skubal had pitched 13 scoreless innings in the 2024 postseason before Saturday’s start, and added four more on Game 5 before hitting Jose Ramirez with a pitch with the bases loaded and surrendering Thomas’ homer.
The left-hander looked like Superman out there, and Thomas became his kryptonite.
It was one of the most electric moments in Progressive Field history, one that fans will remember fondly for years to come regardless of the outcome of the Guards’ playoffs run.
NEXT: Guardians Finally Conquer Tarik Skubal And Advance To AL Championship Series
