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Andres Gimenez scores a 1-2 count and then dribbles in front of Olson with a slow chopper, but the pitcher can’t get the ball in time as Gimenez makes the throw home. AJ Hinch visits the mound to see if Olson was hurt, but he stays on the mound to hit back-to-back one-pitch groundouts against Jhonkensy Noel and Bo Naylor. Olson came back from a 3-0 count to get Brayan Rocchio to fly out for four and ultimately end the first inning.

Thomas goes deep on the first pitch to Olson, and the Guardians dominate with a 5-0 lead

Things start off bad for the Tigers, and now things get even worse when Lane Thomas hits a slider right up the middle for a home run. It goes 394 feet to left center field and that three-run home run gives Cleveland a commanding 5-0 lead before tying it.

Naylor gets a goal and the Guardians extend the lead to 2-0

The official ruling is a mistake by McKinstry, but the Guardians move on as Josh Naylor brings home Fry, moving Ramirez to third and Naylor to first with no outs. Holton’s day is over as Reese Olson makes his first relief appearance of the season.

Holton struggles, McKinstry’s error gives the Guardians their first run of the day

Kwan leads off Tyler Holton in the bottom of the first and swings in the second just as the ball touches the top of the right field wall to stay in play for a double. David Fry is walked after an 8-pitch at-bat, putting Jose Ramirez at bat with runners on first and second and no outs. Ramirez completes a full count before firing a shot down the left field line that bounces off Zach McKinstry and brings Kwan home.

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Meadows makes a changeup, then designated hitter Kerry Carpenter scores a 3-2 count before dropping a single to center field for the first hit of the game. Matt Vierling hits a grounder, but the Guardians can only get the out at first base with Carpenter safely moving to second base. Bibee has thrown a lot of high throws out of the zone, but it’s a deep throw that hits Greene and puts him first. We get an early mound visit for Bibee, then Keith hits a line drive to Steven Kwan in left field for the final out.

First pitch

Game 1 of the ALDS is underway! Tanner Bibee makes his first postseason start on the mound for the Guardians today, while Parker Meadows takes the lead for the Tigers, just as he did in Game 2 of the AL Wild Card Series. The first pitch is a foul ball from Meadows.

Before the game

After winning their first postseason series since 2013, the Tigers now look ahead to Game 1 of the ALDS on the road against their AL Central division rival, the Cleveland Guardians.

The Tigers are moving on after just sneaking into the MLB postseason as a No. 6 seed, and then a 5-2 victory on Wednesday capped a two-game sweep of the Houston Astros.

Meanwhile, the Guardians earned their postseason bye by winning the AL Central for the second time in three years. They will try to win their first ALDS since 2016, the same year they were one win away from winning their first World Series since 1948.

The Tigers will have Tyler Holton start Game 1 as he also started Game 2 of the AL Wild Card Series in a different bullpen rotation strategy the Tigers have used this season. Tanner Bibee will make his first career postseason start for the Guardians, as the right winger went 12-8 in the regular season.

Follow here for live updates from Detroit News staff writer Kameron Goodwill.

ALDS: Tigers vs. Guardians

All games on TBS/97.1

▶ Game 1: 1:08 p.m. Saturday at Progressive Field, Cleveland

▶ Game 2: Monday, 4:08 p.m., at Progressive Field

▶ Game 3: 3:08 p.m. Wednesday at Comerica Park, Detroit

▶ Game 4: 6:08 p.m. Thursday (if required), October 10, at Comerica Park

▶ Game 5: 4:38 p.m. Saturday (if required), October 12, at Progressive Field

Chris McCosky asks AJ Hinch about facing AL Central teams in the playoffs.

Chris McCosky asks AJ Hinch about facing AL Central teams in the playoffs.