Li Hao-yu’s go-ahead RBI erased as Tigers suffer historic late collapse

Li Hao-yu’s go-ahead hit disappeared from the winning ledger after the Detroit Tigers surrendered a late lead and lost 4-3 to the Cleveland Guardians in the second game of a doubleheader.

Li singled through the middle against left-hander Foster Griffin in the top of the third, driving in a run and putting Detroit ahead 1-0. But he left the game after a heavy collision with Cleveland catcher Austin Hedges during a play at home plate. The Tigers later announced that Li had suffered a bruised left shin.

Detroit still led 3-1 in the bottom of the eighth when reliever Jacob Waguespack entered. With no outs and a runner on first, Cleveland’s Australian top draft pick Travis Bazzana hit a game-tying two-run homer, wiping out Li’s potential winning RBI.

According to Just Baseball, the collapse was Detroit’s 68th blown lead after the eighth inning this season, an unwanted major league record. The teams went to extra innings, and the Tigers quickly made three outs on ground balls in the top of the 10th.

In the bottom half, Cleveland put a runner on third with two outs. Bazzana then struck a walk-off single through center field against veteran closer Kenley Jansen, completing Cleveland’s sweep of the doubleheader. Detroit lost its second straight game and its 16th in its last 20, falling to 64-77 and essentially ending its postseason hopes.