Just when you thought the Guardians' playoff dreams were fading... BOOM! – Terry Pluto
- Guardians (https://www.cleveland.com/guardians/)
- Updated: Oct. 01, 2025, 5:35 p.m.
- Published: Oct. 01, 2025, 5:01 p.m.
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CLEVELAND, Ohio – Do you ever feel the thrill of a playoff game? The tension? The electric atmosphere? How about the moment when a team you thought was done suddenly turns it all around? That’s exactly what happened with the Guardians (https://www.cleveland.com/guardians/) and Brayan Rocchio.
Rocchio delivered again, hitting a clutch home run that changed the game. Final score: Guardians 6, Detroit 1 (https://www.cleveland.com/guardians/2025/10/guardians-rally-for-five-runs-in-the-eighth-inning-to-beat-detroit-and-force-a-deciding-game-3-in-wild-card-series.html). The Guardians are alive. The playoffs are moving forward to Game 3 of these best-of-three Wild Card Series on Thursday at Progressive Field.
Both teams know the truth: one will advance, the other will leave. Do you feel the same adrenaline rush I do? Maybe this season isn’t over for the Guardians after all.
Still stunned
As I write this at Progressive Field, I can’t believe what I’m seeing. Just moments ago, it was the bottom of the eighth inning. One out. The score was 1-1. The Guardians had only two hits in 7⅓ innings. Could they find more magic? Maybe Chase DeLauter? — Terry Pluto (https://www.cleveland.com/guardians/2025/10/can-guardians-find-more-magic-maybe-chase-delauter-terry-pluto.html)
Guardians fans, what did you expect... something easy? – Terry Pluto (https://www.cleveland.com/guardians/2025/09/guardians-fans-what-did-you-expect-something-easy-terry-pluto.html)
The Guardians, the fans, the ballpark—all making memories — Terry Pluto (https://www.cleveland.com/guardians/2025/09/the-guardians-the-fans-the-ballpark-all-making-memories-terry-pluto.html)
Then… boom. Make that… BOOM!!!
Rocchio hammered a home run into the right field seats. The Tigers looked stunned. Suddenly, it felt like a valve was opened. The pressure the Guardians were under dissolved.
Rocchio’s homer set them free. The 26,659 fans were screaming, stomping, roaring. THEY… COULD… FEEL… IT.
That fear the Tigers have carried for two months—of blowing a playoff lead… that frustration of battling the Guardians, who’ve now beaten them in 6 of 8 games in the last three weeks… it all came back to haunt Detroit.
Here come the Guardians
After Rocchio’s homer, Cleveland’s bats exploded. Forget sitting on a 2-1 lead—time to bury Detroit. Steven Kwan followed with a double down the right-field line. Next, Daniel Schneemann doubled down on Kwan’s double… with his own double to right field. It was 3-1.
Cleveland kept hitting. Bo Naylor crushed his own homer to right field—a three-run shot. Within five minutes, a 1-1 game became 6-1 in favor of the Guardians.
The bottom of the ninth wasn’t easy. Closer Cade Smith had to pitch out of a bases-loaded jam to cap another unforgettable victory.
It’s not over yet
I entered this game with some baseball anxiety. I wondered if the Guardians still had magic left. Their emotional gas gauge had to be empty. They’ve played so many big games to steal the Central Division from the Tigers… I keep thinking about how Detroit had a 12½-game lead on Cleveland just five weeks ago.
But when it comes to the Guardians, I often get it wrong. When I thought they were finished after their 10-game losing streak in July… I was wrong. When I was sure they were done after losing 9 of 10 in August… I was wrong. When they lost the opener of the Wild Card series 2-1 and seemed lost in Game 2… I felt that sinking feeling.
Then… BOOM! Then… Rocchio! Then… the onslaught. Double after double, the three-run Bo Naylor home run. Then… the season isn’t over. Not with how this team plays.
(cleveland.com and plain dealer sports columnist. I also write a weekly Faith & You column.)
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