It felt as bleak as possible for the Cleveland Guardians.

Through 7.5 innings of baseball, the Guardians had only managed to push one runner to second base, and that was off a solo home run from George Valera 6 innings prior. The bullpen was running on fumes with Cade Smith needing to come in at the top of the 9th, and manage to pull another rabbit out of his hat, and keep the game gridlocked at 1 run apiece.

Most importantly, how much longer could you keep this Detroit offense at bay? Their bullpen was cruising through this since pulling Casey Mize, and the bats had stranded 12 base runners up until that point. Cleveland had to get something done in the 8th — and that they did.

Playoff Rocchio, Rocctober, or whatever you want to call him, plunked a one-out solo shot over the right fiel

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