"Forget everything else, if you can. Forget about the Detroit Tigers' ongoing historic collapse, turning a double-digit lead in the division into a measly one game. Forget about the Cleveland Guardians' crazy surge to make it a race. Just take the moment on its own: sixth inning, leading 2-0, and Tarik Skubal, the American League's best pitcher and red-hot on the night, on the mound and feeling confident. Pretty good place for the Tigers to be, right? Well."
"The Guardians did what the Guardians do: play small ball, both on purpose (because these guys love being annoying) and by accident (because basically nobody on this team can hit like a grown-up). In the sixth inning of what would end a 5-2 Cleveland win that leapfrogged them over Detroit for the division, the Guardians put together five pop-gun plate appearances in which they failed to get the ball out of the infield. No matter. It totally unraveled Skubal and the Tigers."
Tigers held a 2-0 lead in the sixth with Tarik Skubal pitching confidently. The Guardians executed relentless small ball, stringing together bunts and infield hits to manufacture offense. Steven Kwan and Angel Martinez reached via bunts, and Skubal's attempted emergency flip to first sailed over Spencer Torkelson. Jose Ramirez reached on a swinging-bunt infield single, and David Fry bunted the ball off his face and was injured. A wild pitch tied the game and a subsequent balk followed a strikeout after Skubal lost his composure. Cleveland won 5-2 and leapfrogged Detroit for the division lead.
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