Travis Bazzana delivered the kind of performance Progressive Field lives for. The young infielder went 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBI as the Cleveland Guardians erased a three-run deficit and walked off the Detroit Tigers 4-3 in 10 innings on Friday, September 4, 2026. It was a division win that required every bit of the bullpen's best, and Cleveland got exactly that when it mattered most.

Bazzana Powers the Comeback

The Guardians trailed by three runs and needed someone to take over the game. Bazzana answered. His home run was the centerpiece of Cleveland's comeback, and his three RBI accounted for every run the Guardians scored on the night. Going 2-for-3 against a Tigers pitching staff that held Cleveland in check for most of the contest, Bazzana was simply the best player on the field Friday night.

Foster Griffin Struggles Early, Bullpen Locks It Down

Starter Foster Griffin gave the Tigers too much to work with over his six innings, allowing eight hits, two walks, and all three Detroit runs while striking out three. Cleveland's offense had to claw back against a deficit Griffin's outing created, and for a while it looked like a tall order.

Then the bullpen took over, and the complexion of the game changed completely.

Daniel Espino was sharp through the seventh and eighth innings, tossing two scoreless frames on one hit and no walks while striking out three. Hunter Gaddis then stepped in for the ninth and tenth, blanking the Tigers on zero hits with two strikeouts and no walks across two innings. Gaddis earned the win, his performance giving the Guardians the bridge they needed to let the offense do its work in the bottom of the tenth.

Jansen Tagged as Detroit's Bullpen Falters Late

Detroit's Andrew Sears kept Cleveland honest through 5.2 innings, allowing one earned run on four hits with four strikeouts. Beau Brieske followed with a clean 1.1 innings of relief, striking out three. But the Tigers' bullpen unraveled when it mattered. Jacob Waguespack allowed two earned runs across one inning, and Kenley Jansen — brought in to close it out — was touched for one earned run in 1.2 innings, taking the loss as Cleveland pushed across the walk-off run in the tenth.

Turning Point

The game turned when Espino came on in relief and stopped Detroit's offense cold. After Griffin allowed the Tigers to build a 3-0 lead, Espino's two scoreless innings gave Cleveland's bats a chance to get back in the game. Once Gaddis matched that energy in the ninth and tenth, the outcome was in Bazzana's hands — and he delivered.

Key Performances at a Glance

  • Travis Bazzana (CLE): 2-for-3, 1 HR, 3 RBI
  • Daniel Espino (CLE): 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 3 K, 0 BB
  • Hunter Gaddis (CLE, W): 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 2 K, 0 BB
  • Foster Griffin (CLE): 6.0 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 3 K, 2 BB
  • Gleyber Torres (DET): 2-for-4
  • Kevin McGonigle (DET): 2-for-5, 1 RBI
  • Kenley Jansen (DET, L): 1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 2 K, 0 BB

What's Next

The Guardians remain at Progressive Field as the series with Detroit continues. Cleveland showed Friday night that this group does not quit when facing a deficit, and the bullpen's ability to lock down a game deep into extra innings is a real asset. If Bazzana and the offense can stay consistent, Cleveland has the pieces to keep making things difficult for division opponents down the stretch of the 2026 regular season.