CLEVELAND—Kerry Carpenter took one swing and floored baseball’s preeminent closer.
Carpenter connected for a three-run homer off Cleveland’s Emmanuel Clase with two outs and two strikes in the ninth inning, sending the Detroit Tigers to a dramatic 3-0 win over the Guardians in Game 2 on Monday night to even the AL Division Series at one game each.
After Jake Rogers and Trey Sweeney singled off the usually unhittable Clase, Carpenter drove a 2-2 pitch from the right-hander 423 feet into the right-field seats.
It was another one of those October moments that can define a player, and the fact he did it off Clase wasn’t lost on Carpenter.
“It is special because I don’t know how many runs or home runs he’s given up this year,” Carpenter said. “It’s pretty fun to be a part of this and to do it off of him is special, because he’s literally the best closer in the game.”
Carpenter became the first player to hit a two-out, two-strike homer in the ninth inning since Kirk Gibson’s memorable shot off Dennis Eckersley in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series.
He was the third Detroit player to hit a go-ahead homer in the ninth inning or later in the playoffs, joining Magglio Ordóñez (2006) and Hall of Famer Al Kaline (1972).
As Carpenter rounded the bases, his helmet flew off between first and second base. When he came around third, he slapped hands with coach Joey Cora before getting to the plate and extending both arms above his head in celebration.
From there it was one hug and high-five after another in Detroit’s rocking dugout.
It was just the third homer allowed this season by Clase, who led the AL with 47 saves. The right-hander gave up just five earned runs in 74 games all season.
“We’re talking about one of the greatest seasons of all time,” Guardians catcher Austin Hedges said. “Guys don’t even get on base against him.”
But after Rogers and Sweeney did their part, Carpenter, known by his teammates as “Kerry Bonds,” got a pitch he could drive and didn’t miss.
Tigers manager A.J. Hinch was more than happy that Carpenter was next in line for Detroit.
“Obviously, Kerry we want him up to bat as often as we can in those moments,” said Hinch, who had Carpenter pinch-hit in the eighth. “He can change the scoreboard. He can change the game. He does it time after time.”
Carpenter was one of several Tigers players who missed time with injuries this season, out from May 26 to Aug. 13 with a lumbar spine stress fracture. He finished with 18 homers in 87 games.
The Guardians and Tigers swapped zeroes as pitchers dominated, Detroit ace Tarik Skubal for seven innings and Cleveland’s Matthew Boyd for 4 2/3 before manager Stephen Vogt turned the game over to his vaunted bullpen — led by Clase.
Carpenter sensed one of the teams was going to break the deadlock.
As his ball sailed toward the stands in Progressive Field, Carpenter went from pinch-hitter to postseason star.
“Somebody was going to get a big hit at some point, either for us or them, and it happened to be us,” he said. “I don’t know if I can describe it, but yeah, I knew it was gone, and it was just an amazing feeling being able to come through for this team.”
