DETROIT — Matt Vierling hit a home run and drove in three and the Detroit Tigers beat the Cleveland Guardians 5-4 on Wednesday night.
Reese Olson (4-8) improved to 3-0 with a 2.40 ERA in his past five starts, allowing three runs on six hits in six innings as Detroit won for the fifth time in six games.
The Tigers led 5-3 going into the ninth, but Alex Faedo issued two walks and had a wild pitch to start the inning, putting the tying run in scoring position.
Andrés Giménez made it 5-4 with a sacrifice fly, with Gabriel Arias taking third. Jason Foley replaced Faedo and got Tyler Freeman to hit a grounder to first. Gio Urshela threw Arias out at the plate with Freeman taking second during the lengthy rundown.
“We told Gabe to go on contact and if they threw home to stay in a rundown long enough for (Freeman) to get into scoring position,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “He executed it perfectly.”
Arias forced the Tigers to make five throws before recording the out.
“We probably had a couple more throws than we wanted to make,” said Vierling, who eventually made the tag. “It got a little dicey, but we got the out.”
Brayan Rocchio was intentionally walked and Foley's wild pitch moved the runners to second and third before he retired Austin Hedges on a grounder for his 15th save.
“We got to pick the guy we wanted to face, but we didn't plan for the second pitch to the backstop,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “It's a win, and you are never mad about a win.”
Tanner Bibee (7-4) allowed four runs on five hits in seven innings. He is now 0-3 with a 6.98 ERA in four starts against the Tigers.
“I hate that it took me three innings to make an adjustment,” Bibee said. “I just wasn't very good out there.”
The Tigers took a 2-0 lead when Colt Keith hit an RBI triple in the first inning and scored on Vierling's sacrifice fly. Angel Martínez tied the game with a two-run double in the third.
Vierling hit a two-run homer in the third to put Detroit ahead 4-2.
“I think it was a curveball or sweeper that he got up in the zone,” Vierling said. “I was able to put a good swing on it — we had a few of those tonight.”
Daniel Schneemann replied with a solo home run in the fourth.
Andy Ibáñez made it 5-3 with a pinch-hit homer in the eighth.
After going 3-3 with three intentional walks in Tuesday's 9-8 win, José Ramírez singled in the first inning — his seventh straight time on base — but went 0 for 3 in the rest of the game.
The game was delayed for 10 minutes in the fourth inning when home plate umpire Jansen Visconti left after taking a foul tip off his left hand. He was replaced by David Arrieta, with James Hoye and Mike Muchlinski handling the bases. Arrieta took a foul tip off the mask in the ninth, but stayed in the game.
UP NEXT
The teams finish their four-game series on Thursday with Guardians RHP Spencer Howard (1-1, 5.63 ERA) starting against RHP Jack Flaherty (5-5, 3.24). The teams play 10 times in July.