Guardians Rally Past Tigers 7-5 in Tenth Inning Heartbreaker

The Detroit Tigers dropped a tough 7-5 extra-innings loss to the Cleveland Guardians in their series opener at home. They rallied late, with some clutch moments, but couldn’t quite finish the job.

It all happened on **Roberto Clemente Day**, adding a little extra energy to Comerica Park. Detroit’s bullpen looked sharp most of the night, but things unraveled in the 10th inning.

The Tigers are still hunting for steady offense and cleaner defense. This game showed their grit, but also highlighted where they’re still figuring things out.

Tigers’ Early Efforts Undone by Guardians’ Timely Hits

Detroit entered the opener feeling hopeful, especially with **Casey Mize** coming off a pair of solid starts. Mize started strong, but defensive mistakes and Cleveland’s timely hitting quickly became a problem.

Casey Mize Battles, but Errors Prove Costly

The Guardians got on the board in the second inning. They added more runs in the fourth and sixth.

Mize finished with 5.1 innings and three earned runs, which isn’t bad on paper. Still, without those fielding errors, he probably could’ve escaped with less damage.

**Gabriel Arias** and **Bo Naylor** did most of the early damage, helping Cleveland grab a 3-1 lead.

Detroit’s Mid-Game Response

The Tigers’ bats took a while to wake up. **Riley Greene** finally sparked something in the sixth, scoring on a fielder’s choice to trim the deficit.

Earlier, **Gleyber Torres** had tied things up in the third with a deep homer to left-center. That was a much-needed jolt.

Shutdown Relief Sends Game to Extras

Detroit’s bullpen held it down late. **Tyler Holton** and **Rafael Montero** teamed up for three perfect innings, keeping the Tigers close.

The crowd at Comerica started to buzz, and by the ninth, the place was electric.

Kerry Carpenter’s Heroics Ignite Comerica

Down to their last outs, manager A.J. Hinch called on **Kerry Carpenter** to pinch-hit. That move worked out big time.

Carpenter smashed a solo homer to right, tying it at 3-3 and sending fans wild. Suddenly, the Tigers had new life and the game headed into extras.

The Tenth Inning Collapse

But just like that, the momentum vanished. **Will Vest** came on in the 10th and ran into immediate trouble.

Cleveland strung together four straight extra-base hits from **Brayan Rocchio**, **Steven Kwan**, **Angel Martínez**, and **José Ramírez**. The game slipped away in a hurry.

**Kyle Manzardo** tacked on another RBI double, pushing the Guardians’ lead to 7-3. Ouch.

Torkelson’s Homer Not Enough

In the bottom of the 10th, **Spencer Torkelson** gave Detroit a flicker of hope with a two-run homer. That cut it to 7-5.

But Cleveland’s closer finished things off, and the Tigers couldn’t complete the comeback.

Bright Spots Amid the Loss

Even in defeat, the Tigers had a few positives to hang onto:

• Strong middle relief — Holton and Montero combined to keep Cleveland scoreless in their outing.
• Timely power — Carpenter’s pinch-hit homer was one of the year’s best moments so far.
• Competitive spirit — Detroit kept scrapping even when things looked bleak.

Roberto Clemente Day at Comerica Park

Off the field, the night had extra meaning with **Roberto Clemente Day**. Players wore his iconic No. 21, and pregame ceremonies honored Clemente’s incredible legacy.

It was a heartfelt tribute to one of the game’s true legends, even if the Tigers couldn’t quite deliver the storybook ending.

Looking Ahead

The Tigers will try to even the series in Game 2. They’ll hand the ball to veteran starter Jack Flaherty.

Detroit needs a sharper defensive effort. The offense will have to keep the pressure on if they want to bounce back against the Guardians’ tough lineup.

This loss stings, for sure. But you could see flashes of resilience—maybe there’s a spark here the Tigers can build on.

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Here is the source article for this story: Guardians 7, Tigers 5 (F/10): Tenth inning flame-out