CLEVELAND — Tarik Skubal tied Detroit's postseason record with 14 strikeouts and the Tigers beat the Cleveland Guardians 2-1 on Tuesday in Game 1 of their AL Wild Card Series.
Will Vest got the final four outs for Detroit, surviving a tense ninth inning after Cleveland star Jose Ramírez got hung up between third base and home for the second out.
The Tigers can advance to the AL Division Series for the second straight year with a win Wednesday.
Detroit scored the go-ahead run in the seventh inning when Zach McKinstry's safety squeeze scored Riley Greene from third.
Ramírez led off the ninth with an infield single and advanced to third when shortstop Javier Báez threw wide of first base. Vest struck out pinch-hitter George Valera, then Kyle Manzardo hit a grounder to Vest. Ramírez broke