David Fry's Historic Homer Forces ALDS Game 5, Guardians Beat Tigers 5-4

The Cleveland Guardians have won a postseason elimination game for the first time in 27 years, thanks to Fry's pinch-hit homer in the seventh inning of ALDS Game 4.

Oct 10, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Cleveland Guardians first base David Fry (6) hits a two run home run in the seventh inning against the Detroit Tigers during game four of the ALDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images / Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Josh Naylor flung his bat at least 25 feet in the air as the Cleveland dugout erupted.

Pinch-hitter David Fry had just launched a 382-foot missile to deep left center that landed on the Little Caesars Pizza sign separating the two bullpens. The home run gave the Guardians a 4-3 lead they wouldn't relinquish, forcing a winner-take-all Game 5 in the ALDS. Cleveland won the game by a final of 5-4.

HIGH-FRY BALL 🍟
TWO-RUN SMASH@CLEGUARDIANS LEAD pic.twitter.com/QBbJ7lRuYO

— MLB (@MLB) October 11, 2024

Subsequently, Fry made his skipper look like a genius. In a game of cat and mouse between Guardians manager Steven Vogt and Tigers manager A.J. Hinch, Vogt put Fry in the game, knowing it would likely trigger Hinch to bring on his excellent reliever Beau Brieske. Vogt made a couple of early substitutions in Game 3 that weren't exactly consensus picks to many fans, but his choice to use Fry for a high-leverage pinch-hitting situation paid off in spades on Thursday.

In addition to his go-ahead homer, Fry perfectly executed a safety squeeze to give Cleveland an insurance run in the top of the ninth.

David Fry in the 7th: pinch-hit, go-ahead, two-out, two-strike, clutch-as-hell homer

David Fry in the 9th: guess I’ll just bunt in another run pic.twitter.com/2P6YUEkTco

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) October 11, 2024

Cleveland's win ties the ALDS at two games apiece and sends both teams back to Cleveland for a winner-take-all Game 5 on Saturday afternoon at Progressive Field.

Oct 10, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Cleveland Guardians first base David Fry (6) celebrates with third base José Ramírez (11) after hitting a two run home run in the seventh inning against the Detroit Tigers during game four of the ALDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images / Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Fry's home run was historic in two ways. It ended Cleveland's MLB-record 11 consecutive losses in postseason elimination games. The Guardians/Indians hadn't won such a game since October 25, 1997, in Game 6 of the World Series against the Florida Marlins. It also was the first-ever playoff go-ahead, pinch-hit home run in Cleveland baseball history.

Fry wasn't the only hero on Thursday, though his home run will never be forgotten.

Baseball's biggest stars are defined by how they perform when the spotlight is brightest. Jose Ramirez's postseason career hasn't resembled his overall body of work. He desperately needed a defining moment, not just personally, but one when the Cleveland Guardians really needed him to step up and be the franchise cornerstone he's paid to be. Ramirez crushed a solo homer to left field in the top of the fifth inning that gave Cleveland a 2-1 lead at the time.

Steven Kwan continued an incredible postseason, during which he is 9-for-17 at the plate.

Emmanuel Clase allowed a run to score in the ninth inning but was otherwise good as he recorded a 5-out save.

Overall, it was a great night for a Guardians offense that needed to see some results. Cleveland came in after 20 consecutive scoreless innings, the longest stretch in club postseason history. Lane Thomas' 2-out single in the bottom of the first inning brought home Steven Kwan to give the Guardians their first lead since the beginning of Game 1. As a team, Cleveland scored five runs on 11 hits after being shut out two games in a row.

Detroit hasn't won a playoff series since 2013. Cleveland has only once ever won a postseason series in which they once trailed.