Lane Thomas hits 3-run homer, Cleveland's bullpen torments Tigers as Guardians win ALDS opener 7-0

CLEVELAND (AP) — Lane Thomas hit a three-run homer in a five-run outburst before Detroit got an out, and the Cleveland Guardians unleashed their lights-out bullpen to complete a four-hitter in a 7-0 win over the Tigers in an AL Division Series opener on Saturday.

Thomas' shot — on his first career postseason swing — helped the Guardians cool off the Tigers, who stormed into the playoffs with a second-half surge before sweeping AL West champion Houston in the wild-card round.

“It was electric,” said Thomas, acquired from Washington at the trade deadline. “It was everything I had thought and more."

Tanner Bibee pitched 4 2/3 innings before Guardians manager Stephen Vogt swung the door open to baseball's best bullpen to finish off the Tigers.

Cleveland's relievers combined for 4 1/3 hitless innings to finish and match the largest shutout victory margin in club postseason history. Detroit struck out 13 times and didn't get a runner past first in the final four innings.

The shutout was the worst in Detroit playoff history since Game 1 of the 1945 World Series.

“We're going to see a lot of this bullpen,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “The more you look at them, hopefully, the more comfortable you get.”

Cleveland's bullpen was as advertised. Rookie Cade Smith (1-0) replaced Bibee and struck out all four batters. Tim Herrin took care of the seventh, Hunter Gaddis the eighth, and Emmanuel Clase, who led the AL with 47 saves, worked the ninth.

David Fry added a two-run double for the AL Central champion Guardians, who were unaffected by not playing for almost a week with a first-round bye.

“We came out ready to swing the bat, and we looked like we didn’t take five days off,” Vogt said.

Game 2 is Monday, when the Tigers will turn to Tarik Skubal, the favorite to win the AL Cy Young Award, to try and even the best-of-five series.

The 2,327th meeting between Detroit and Cleveland was the first between the franchises and Central division rivals in the postseason.

It was as good as over after one inning.

Hinch has made the right decisions for months as his young club went from being under .500 at the trade deadline to qualifying for the postseason with a 33-13 flourish since Aug. 11.

Hinch used his bullpen in Game 1 from the start and it backfired.

The Guardians sent nine batters to the plate in the first with Thomas' moon shot into the left-field bleachers opening the 5-0 lead. Cleveland became the first team in AL postseason history to score five runs before recording an out.

Steven Kwan got it rolling with a leadoff double against Tigers starter Tyler Holton (0-1) and Fry walked. José Ramírez followed with a hard hopper to third that Zach McKinstry misplayed for an error, allowing Kwan to score.

“I tried to make a play and I didn't. We ended up losing the game because of it,” said McKinstry, who put some of the blame on the grounds crew. “They watered the field before the game, but they didn't water it for the game and it took a weird hop.”

Josh Naylor's RBI single made it 2-0 and Hinch pulled Holton after just four batters to bring in Reese Olson.

Thomas, who batted just .143 with 33 strikeouts in 77 at-bats after coming over from the Nationals, made his first postseason at-bat with the Guardians unforgettable.

He turned on Olson's first pitch — a slider down the heart of the plate — and launched it over the wall, sending the majority of 33,548 fans inside Progressive Field into a frenzy.

Bibee admitted feeling nerves ahead of the opener, and he showed some in the first, throwing 27 pitches.

But taking the mound in the second with a five-run lead helped Bibee settle in. The right-hander gave up four hits and struck out six before handing the ball to Vogt and a bullpen with no detectable flaws.

“I totally get it,” Bibee said. “With how good our pen has been, I get it. It makes sense. Obviously, I want to stay out there as long as possible, but I get it.”

TRAINER'S ROOM

Guardians: RHP Alex Cobb, a candidate to start Game 3, was added to the ALDS roster after finishing the regular season on the injured list with a blister on his middle finger. He made just three starts after being acquired in a July trade from San Francisco.

UP NEXT

Skubal led the AL in wins (18), ERA (2.39) and strikeouts (228). The left-hander is expected to face Guardians RHP Matthew Boyd, who spent eight seasons with the Tigers and remains close friends with Skubal.

Correction: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Cleveland Guardians' Lane Thomas shouts as he runs the bases after hitting a home run in the first inning during Game 1 of baseball's AL Division Series against the Detroit Tigers, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Dermer)

Cleveland Guardians' Hunter Gaddis pitches in the eighth inning during Game 1 of baseball's AL Division Series against the Detroit Tigers, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

Cleveland Guardians' Brayan Rocchio runs to second base with a double in the eighth inning during Game 1 of baseball's AL Division Series against the Detroit Tigers, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Dermer)

Cleveland Guardians' Emmanuel Clase gestures after the Cleveland Guardians defeated the Detroit Tigers in Game 1 of baseball's AL Division Series, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Dermer)

Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Tanner Bibee is greeted as he returns to the dugout after being taken out of the game in the fifth inning during Game 1 of baseball's AL Division Series against the Detroit Tigers, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Dermer)

Detroit Tigers' Zach McKinstry celebrates a hitting a double at second base during the second inning of Game 1 of baseball's AL Division Series against the Cleveland Guardians, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Dermer)

Cleveland Guardians' Andres Gimenez, right, steals second base as Detroit Tigers shortstop Trey Sweeney takes the throw in the third inning during Game 1 of baseball's AL Division Series, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Dermer)

Cleveland Guardians second baseman Andres Gimenez, right, throws the ball to first base after forcing out Detroit Tigers' Colt Keith (33) at second base on a double play ball hit by Spencer Torkelson in the fourth inning during Game 1 of baseball's AL Division Series, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Dermer)

Fans cheer in the fifth inning during Game 1 of baseball's AL Division Series between the Detroit Tigers and the Cleveland Guardians, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

Cleveland Guardians manager Stephen Vogt, left, and Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch, right, greet each other before Game 1 of baseball's American League Division Series against the Detroit Tigers, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Guardians' Tim Herrin pitches in the seventh inning during Game 1 of baseball's AL Division Series against the Detroit Tigers, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Dermer)

Cleveland Guardians' Cade Smith pitches in the sixth inning during Game 1 of baseball's AL Division Series against the Detroit Tigers, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

Detroit Tigers relief pitcher Tyler Holton (87) is taken out of the game in the first inning during Game 1 of baseball's AL Division Series against the Cleveland Guardians, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Dermer)

Cleveland Guardians' Lane Thomas (8) is greeted at the plate by teammates Josh Naylor, rear and third baseman Jose Ramirez, second right, in front of Detroit Tigers catcher Jake Rogers, right, after hitting a home run in the first inning during Game 1 of baseball's AL Division Series, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

Cleveland Guardians left fielder Steven Kwan celebrates his double at second base in the first inning during Game 1 of the baseball's American League Division Series against the Detroit Tigers, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Dermer)

Cleveland Guardians' Lane Thomas shouts as he runs the bases after hitting a home run in the first inning during Game 1 of baseball's AL Division Series against the Detroit Tigers, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Dermer)

Just as Europe's top soccer leagues are really hitting their stride, here comes a longer-than-usual break — three weeks! — for international matches.

A few early-season, post-World Cup themes are already developing, however, around the continent.

The Associated Press takes a look at them here:

It was the transfer saga of the summer: Would Argentina striker Julián Álvarez get his wish and secure a move to Barcelona from Atletico Madrid?

It never happened, leaving Barca without a world-class striker in its squad while bidding to retain the La Liga and win the Champion League for the first time in more than a decade.

You’d never know.

With 31 goals in seven straight league wins — that’s an average of 4.3 goals per match — Barcelona has the hottest attack in Europe, with Raphinha scoring 12 of the goals including back-to-back hat tricks.

The Brazil international typically plays as a winger but has been deployed in a central role following the departures of Robert Lewandowski ( out of contract ) and Ferran Torres ( sold to Paris Saint-Germain ), and is thriving.

Julian who?

Making the start of the season all the sweeter for Barca is some early troubles for the returning José Mourinho at fierce rival Real Madrid, which has lost twice and is already six points off the pace.

Mourinho has been box office, as usual, and has already been criticizing referees and complaining of “strange” things happening to Madrid, a sign that Barca's fast start might be getting to him.

Manchester City and Tottenham each spent more than $400 million on new players in another summer transfer window dominated by the Premier League.

The clubs have gone in opposite directions.

While City has made an ominous start to the post-Pep Guardiola era with five straight victories to top the nascent Premier League standings, Tottenham is in last place, has yet to win and only recorded its first goals this past weekend.

After back-to-back 17th-place finishes in England's 20-team top flight, it has somehow got even worse for Tottenham despite its biggest ever summer spend and no European competitions for distraction.

New players, new coach — Roberto De Zerbi was only hired in late March and saved the team from relegation — but the same old cultural problems?

Similar could be said of Manchester United, once the giant of English soccer and now a faded force with just one win from its first five games — and that was against a promoted team.

The European champions might be up to their usual tricks.

PSG has become the master at pacing its season, knowing full well it's the second half of the campaign that really matters.

It means PSG's slow start in the French league — the team has two wins from five games and is languishing in sixth place — should be nothing to worry about, given its experience in reeling in any fast starters. In this case, it's Monaco with 13 points from a possible 15.

Many players in its star-studded squad had long World Cup campaigns. None more so than Torres, who scored the winning goal for Spain in the final, then moved to PSG, and has scored seven times in six matches — including some big late goals and a Champions League hat trick.

In what seems an unusually open race for the men’s Ballon d’Or award, could the decisive votes be won this month outside the official eligibility period?

Rules set by the organizers, French sports outlets France Football and L’Equipe, set a deadline of July 19 — the day of the World Cup final — as the last day for players to be judged.

The criteria: Individual performances, decisive and impressive character; collective performances and titles won; class and fair play.

Games played this season should not technically factor into the votes by a global panel of 100 journalists.

Still, when Harry Kane keeps breaking scoring records at Bayern Munich, could this tilt the balance ahead of the voting deadline this month for the Oct. 26 ceremony in London?

Lobbying is already underway, with Kane and Kylian Mbappé being made more available than usual for interviews with international media.

The price for a historically good season at an unheralded, low-budget club seems to be a hangover in the next season after major changes.

Lens, Heart of Midlothian and Thun were media darlings last season making bold runs at their first league titles for many decades. Only Switzerland’s Thun ended up with the trophy.

The almost inevitable offseason result at all three was coaches and star players leaving for bigger and wealthier clubs. Lens already has fired the new coach, Dino Toppmöller, within weeks of replacing Pierre Sage who was lured to Crystal Palace.

The standings Monday reveal the challenges: Lens is 15th in 18-team Ligue 1 and Thun is ninth in the 12-team Swiss Super League. Hearts, at least, is third in the 12-team Scottish Premiership.

In Europe, Thun and Hearts each was ousted in July in Champions League qualifying rounds though will start in the third-tier Conference League next month.

Instant help is at hand for clubs that have made slow starts or didn't get all their business done in the transfer market.

Karim Benzema can be signed right now. So can Paul Pogba, who once joined Man United for a world-record transfer fee. Or Jadon Sancho, Anthony Martial, Mauro Icardi.

Players that are free agents or whose contracts were terminated can join a new club at any time outside a formal transfer window.

They will not be cheap but they are available.

See AP’s full soccer coverage here

Bayern's Harry Kane celebrates after scoring his side's fourth goal during the Bundesliga soccer match between Bayern Munich and 1. FC Union Berlin in Munich, Germany, Friday, Sept. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Real Madrid head coach Jose Mourinho gestures while sitting on the bench during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Rayo Vallecano in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

PSG's Ferran Torres celebrates with PSG's Achraf Hakimi after scoring during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between PSG and Slovan Bratislava in Paris, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

Barcelona's Raphinha, right, celebrates with Lamine Yamal after scoring his side's second goal the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Sevilla and Barcelona in Seville, Spain, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Jose Breton)