2025 AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

GAME #1 – Zack Wheeler  24-4  (1.76) vs. Osvaldo Bido  4-4  (2.64)

Doubles from Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber in the first bring in the first run of the game for Detroit. A one-out double from Shohei Ohtani in the bottom of the inning results in nothing for the Cannons. Things fall apart for Bido with two outs in the second. Bobby Witt Jr. singles in a run. Bido loads the bases with a walk, then Starling Marte singles in two more. A Kyle Schwarber double plates two, and it’s 6-0 Detroit. A Witt Jr. solo homer in the fourth extends the lead to 7-0. Detroit gets two on base in the fifth, but the Cannons are rescued by a double play.

Fremont finally gets on the board in the bottom of the fifth, with an Elias Diaz sac fly and a Carlos Correa RBI single. Back-to-back homers in the seventh from Kyle Schwarber and Manny Machado put the game out of reach, 9-2. Both teams substitute liberally after that, Fremont gets some consolation runs in the ninth, but it finishes 9-4 Detroit. Detroit outhit Fremont 16-6. Wheeler finished with 16 Ks over 7.1 IP. Schwarber went 3-4 with a homer, two doubles, and 4 RBI.

HR: DET- Bobby Witt Jr. (1), Kyle Schwarber (1), Manny Machado (1); FRE- none

Detroit 9 – Fremont 4

Win: Zack Wheeler  1-0  (2.45)
Loss: Osvaldo Bido  0-1  (11.81)

GAME #2 – Sean Manaea  13-8  (3.19) vs. Bailey Ober  12-9  (3.02)

Detroit gets another first-inning lead as Starling Marte’s two-run triple gets them going. Kyle Schwarber singles in Marte and it’s 3-0 Detroit. A single and steal from Shohei Ohtani in the bottom of the inning comes to nothing. Teoscar Hernandez doubles in the bottom of the second. A single from Elly de la Cruz sends him home, but Kyle Schwarber nails him at the plate.

Ober is pulled after a walk and a double in the fifth. With the infield in, Starling Marte scorches one off the glove of Jose Iglesias to bring in a run. A Manny Machado double then makes it 6-0 Detroit. After a walk loads the bases for the Cannons in the bottom of the inning, Carlos Correa brings in two with a single for Fremont’s first runs, making it 6-2 Detroit. Manaea then gets Shohei Ohtani and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. out to end the threat. A diving catch by Byron Buxton in the sixth saves two runs. A double from Jonah Bride in the bottom of the inning goes nowhere.

Sean Reid-Foley comes in for Fremont in the seventh and walks the first 3 batters. A double play gets two outs but brings in a run. A passed ball brings in another run. After a pair of singles, a wild pitch brings in a third run and Detroit has a big 9-2 lead. Both teams begin to substitute again. Detroit tacks on an insurance run in the eighth and wins it 10-2. Fremont is held homerless for a second game, while Detroit picks up two triples.

HR: none

Detroit 10 – Fremont 2

Win: Sean Manaea  1-0  (2.57)
Loss: Bailey Ober  0-1  (11.25)

GAME #3 – Tarik Skubal  17-6  (1.75) vs. Paul Skenes  12-4  (1.78)

The series shifts to Detroit with the Crime holding a 2-0 series lead.

This one lives up to the billing as a pitchers’ duel. Detroit is the first to get a runner in scoring position in the second with a Manny Machado double, but he doesn’t score. Starling Marte leads off the bottom of the fourth with a double but is stranded as well. Fremont’s first good chance comes in the sixth with an Elly de la Cruz walk and steal, but Skenes gets the next two outs.

Chaos ensues in the bottom of the inning after a leadoff double by Bobby Witt Jr. An attempted pickoff at second fails, but Carlos Correa argues and is tossed. The only other shortstop available is de la Cruz who is DHing, so Fremont has to burn the DH spot. Detroit attempts to put pressure on right away with a steal of third, but Witt Jr. is thrown out.

A leadoff double in the top of the seventh puts Shohei Ohtani on, and he gets aggressive as well with an attempted steal of third. This one is successful and pays off when he scores on a groundout. Byron Buxton then singles and steals second, but Skenes ends the inning without another run scoring.

Kyle Schwarber leads off the bottom of the inning with a single, then scores on a two-out Donovan Solano double to tie the game at 1-1. Witt Jr. doubles again in the eighth but is left stranded. Dylan Lee comes on to replace Skenes in the ninth. With the pitcher’s spot up to lead off, Fremont pinch-hits Mike Yastrzemski. He flies out, but a Vladmir Guerrero Jr. single with two outs gives Fremont a chance. Jason Adam comes on and strikes out Byron Buxton. Sean Guenther takes the mound for Fremont and sends this one to extra innings.

Adam strikes out the side in the top of the tenth, then the Crime goes 1-2-3 in the bottom of the inning. In the top of the eleventh, Elias Diaz gets a hold of an Adam pitch and sends it over the fence for the 2-1 Fremont lead. Edwin Uceta comes on in the bottom of the inning and sets the Crime down in order for Fremont’s first win of the series, 2-1 in 11 innings. Skenes allowed just two hits and struck out thirteen in the no-decision. Witt Jr. went 3-5 with two doubles.

HR: FRE- Elias Diaz (1); DET- none

Fremont 2 – Detroit 1 (11 Innings)

Win: Sean Guenther  1-0  (0.00#)
Loss: Jason Adam  0-1  (3.38)
Save: Edwin Uceta  #1

GAME #4 – Carlos Rodon  16-8  (2.91) vs. Zack Wheeler  24-4  (1.76)

The Crime go back to game 1 winner Zack Wheeler while Carlos Rodon gets his first start of the series. Detroit gets on the board in the bottom of the first with a string of singles, making it 2-0. A single and throwing error put Teoscar Hernandez on second base in the top of the second, but he is left stranded. A Christian Bethancourt double is followed by a fly ball that Shohei Ohtani drops, and Detroit has runners at 1st and 3rd in the bottom of the second. A timely double play ends the threat.

The Cannons get on the board in the fourth with a Byron Buxton solo HR. Yasmani Grandal answers with one of his own in the bottom of the inning to make it 3-1 Detroit. An Elias Diaz single is followed by a Carlos Correa homer in the fifth to tie it at 3-3. A Bryce Harper double in the bottom of the inning puts a runner in scoring position, but he is stranded.

A walk and infield hit puts runners at first and third for Detroit after Vladimir Guerrero Jr. collides with Mike Siani, and the Cannons lose Guerrero Jr. for the rest of the game. An attempted squeeze fails when Grandal pops out, but a Christian Bethancourt blooper brings in a run to make it 4-3 Detroit. A Kyle Schwarber HR in the seventh gets another for Detroit and they go up 5-3.

Byron Buxton leads off the top of the ninth with a double. Dylan Lee gets the next two batters, but a Jose Iglesias single cuts the lead to 4-3 and puts the tying run on base. Lee is able to thwart Elly de la Cruz and Detroit wins 5-4 and is one win away from the World Series.

HR: FRE- Carlos Correa (1), Byron Buxton (1); DET- Kyle Schwarber (2), Yasmani Grandal (1)

Detroit 5 – Fremont 4

Win: Zack Wheeler  2-0  (1.88)
Loss: Robert Suarez  0-1  (3.86)
Save: Dylan Lee  #1

GAME #5 – Jared Koenig  8-1  (2.85) vs. Ronel Blanco  11-11  (2.79)

Fremont has their backs against the wall down 3-1 in the series and Cannons manager Casey Hoch elects to bring in Jared Koenig to try to keep the series going. Detroit brings out Ronel Blanco to close out the series.

Bryce Harper gets a single and a steal in the bottom of the first but is left on second base. Fremont gets Byron Buxton on in the second with a single and he uses his wheels to score from a Jose Iglesias double to give the Cannons the early 1-0 lead. A single and HBP in the bottom of the inning sets the stage for Andy Ibanez’s RBI single to tie it 1-1.

Bryce Harper lines one to right for a base hit in the third but is thrown out trying to stretch it to a double. The Crime then get two on in the fourth to no avail. Elly de la Cruz breaks the tie in the fifth with a solo homer to put Fremont up 2-1. A pair of singles is followed by a wild pitch in the sixth to put runners at 2nd and 3rd for Fremont on the sixth, then Byron Buxton brings home Shohei Ohtani to make it 3-1.

A single and walk in the seventh puts two on with no outs for Detroit but Sean Guenther gets the double play and a popout to keep it 3-1. A pair of singles in the eighth sets up Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s 2 RBI double and Fremont goes up 5-1. Detroit doesn’t muster any resistance the rest of the way and Fremont stays alive with the 5-1 victory.

HR: FRE- Elly de la Cruz (1); DET- none

Fremont 5 – Detroit 1

Win: Jared Koenig  1-0  (1.50)
Loss: Ronel Blanco  0-1  (5.06)

GAME #6 – Sean Manaea  13-8  (3.19) vs. Tarik Skubal  17-6  (1.75)

Fremont comes home with a lifeline after the Game 5 win and calls upon Tarik Skubal. The Crime look to close it out with Sean Manaea, leaving Paul Skenes as the Game 7 hammer if needed.

Both starters are up to the task in this one. A walk and HBP in the first gives Manaea some trouble, but a double play ends the inning. Fremont gets a pair of singles in the third but both runners are left stranded. A leadoff double by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the fourth becomes bases loaded, but Manaea strikes out Joey Bart to keep the game scoreless.

Manny Machado finally breaks the deadlock in the fifth with a solo HR off of Skubal. Jose Iglesias leads off the bottom of the inning with a double, but Manaea gets the next three batters. Fremont finally breaks through in the sixth with a solo HR from Byron Buxton to tie it at 1-1. Teoscar Hernandez follows with a double and advances to third on a groundout, but the Cannons can’t bring in the go-ahead run.

After a Carlos Correa double in the seventh, Bryan Hudson comes in for Manaea and ends the inning. Andy Ibanez leads off the ninth with a single but is erased on a double play. Hudson sets down the Cannons in order in the bottom of the ninth so we go to extra innings.

Edwin Uceta comes on for Skubal and gives up a leadoff walk to Bryce Harper, but a timely double play ends the threat. The Crime calls on Dylan Lee in the tenth. After a strikeout of Shohei Ohtani, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. takes a base on balls. Byron Buxton then sends one over third base into the corner. Guerrero Jr. chugs around the bases and slides in for the walkoff win for Fremont, 2-1 in the tenth inning. Skubal was masterful in the win, throwing 9 innings of two-hit ball and striking out twelve. The Cannons finished with 11 LOB compared to the Crime’s 1.

HR: DET- Manny Machado (2); FRE- Byron Buxton (2)

Fremont 2 – Detroit 1 (10 Innings)

Win: Edwin Uceta  1-0  (2.25)
Loss: Dyan Lee  0-1  (3.38)

GAME #7 – Paul Skenes  12-4  (1.78) vs. Bailey Ober  12-9  (3.02)

Game 7 will decide who will advance to the World Series. Skenes was terrific in Game 3, while Ober was hit hard in Game 2.

Detroit jumps on Ober in the first. A walk, single, and HBP loads the bases, then Manny Machado singles in two. Brett Wisely follows with a double to plate two more but is cut down trying for third. Still, the damage is done and Skenes is handed a 4-run lead immediately.

Fremont sticks with Ober and he settles down after the rough start, allowing just one hit during the rest of his day. Shohei Ohtani sparks the Cannons, sending a Skenes fastball over the fence in the third to cut the lead to 4-1. Fremont goes to the bullpen in the sixth knowing there may be no tomorrow, and Sean Guenther sets down the Crime in order.

Carlos Correa leads off the bottom of the sixth with a double, and Ohtani follows with a double of his own to cut the lead to 4-2. Skenes sets down Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Byron Buxton, and Teoscar Hernandez to strand Ohtani.

Detroit goes 1-2-3 in the top of the seventh, then Jonah Bride leads off with a homer in the bottom of the inning to cut Detroit’s lead to 4-3. Skenes gets the next two batters, but a walk and HBP put the tying run in scoring position. Skenes is pulled in favor of Dylan Lee, showing manager Ivone’s trust after the extra inning loss in Game 6 and setting up the left-on-left matchup with Ohtani. Pinch-runner Dairon Blanco comes out to second base. Lee pitches and Ohtani sends it to the right-center gap to bring in Blanco for the tying run, making it 4-4. Lee stays in to face Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who singles home Correa to put the Cannons on top 5-4. Jason Adam comes on for Lee and walks the first batter to load the bases but strikes out Teoscar Hernandez to keep it a one-run game.

Fremont sets down the Crime in order in the top of the eighth and Detroit returns the favor in the bottom of the inning. With the pennant on the line, Detroit faces Edwin Uceta in the top of the ninth. Starling Marte lines out to Guerrero Jr. Kyle Schwarber swings and misses at an offspeed pitch for the second out. Manny Machado watches strike three go right by him and the Fremont take the 5-4 Game 7 victory. Ohtani went 3-4 with a double, homer, and 3 RBI to lead the way in the clincher. After the initial outburst in the first inning, Detroit manages just one hit the rest of the game. Skenes finishes with five runs allowed, though two of them came after he departed.

HR: DET-none; FRE- Shohei Ohtani (1), Jonah Bride (1)

Fremont 5 – Detroit 4

Win: Sean Guenther  2-0  (0.00)
Loss: Paul Skenes  0-1  (3.68)
Save: Edwin Uceta  #2