It’s the continuation of a series between AL Central rivals on the diamond in the Motor City. The Cleveland Guardians are on the road as they play the middle game of a three-game series with the Detroit Tigers Wednesday night. Cleveland entered this series off a split of a four-game set with the Astros at home, winning the finale 1-0 on Sunday afternoon. Detroit dropped three of four games at home to Tampa Bay over the weekend, losing the finale of that set 7-0 Sunday afternoon. This article was published prior to the conclusion of the opening game of the series at Comerica Park Tuesday night.
Cleveland split their four-game set with Houston as they won the final two games of the series at home over the weekend. The Guardians entered Tuesday night second in the AL Central, one game behind the Twins for the top spot in the division. They were 1.5 games behind the Mariners for the final wild card spot in the American League. On Sunday, Cleveland got two hits each from Steven Kwan and Oscar Gonzalez while Luke Maile accounted for the game’s only run with a solo homer, his first of the year, in the fifth inning. Triston McKenzie (8-8) earned the win on the mound as he threw eight scoreless innings, allowing two hits with one walk and eight strikeouts. Emmanuel Clase fanned a pair in a scoreless ninth to record his 24th save of the season.
Aaron Civale gets the call for his 13th start of the season for the Guardians here hoping to turn things around. He is 2-5 with a 6.17 ERA, a 1.463 WHIP, 15 walks and 52 strikeouts over 54 innings of work on the year. Civale didn’t factor in the decision in his last start, which came at home July 13 against the White Sox. He threw one inning, allowing no runs on two hits with no walks and one strikeout in a game the Guardians dropped 2-1. In his last three starts, Civale is 0-1 with a 3.21 ERA, a 1.07 WHIP, two walks and 13 strikeouts over 14 innings of work. Civale makes his ninth career start against the Tigers in this contest hoping to continue his success. He is 7-0 with a 1.94 ERA, a 0.79 WHIP, 10 walks and 39 strikeouts over 55.2 innings of work. Civale is 4-0 with a 3.21 ERA, a 0.964 WHIP, five walks and 20 strikeouts over 28 innings in four career starts at Comerica Park.