CLEVELAND — If you were in Downtown Cleveland and felt the ground shake or heard an ear-shattering roar ripple through the streets a little before 3 p.m. on Saturday, have no fear, that was just the Lane Thomas effect.
The Cleveland Guardians, in the middle of Game 5 of the American League Division Series with the Detroit Tigers, were down 1-0 in the bottom of the fifth inning.
The inning began with a single from Andrés Giménez. After one out, the Guardians started piling on the bases, with a single from Steven Kwan followed up with a base knock from David Fry.
Bases loaded, Guardians superstar third baseman José Ramírez was up to bat. With Tigers ace Tarik Skubal on the mound, Ramírez was hit by a pitch, which brought in a run and tied the game up 1-1.
With bases still loaded, outfielder Lane Thomas approached the plate.
Thomas had come up clutch for Cleveland in Game 1 of the series one week prior. His three-run homer in the first inning drove up the score 5-0, with Cleveland going on to win that one 7-0.
On Saturday with the series on the line, Thomas outdid himself.
On the first pitch, Thomas swung. The crack of the bat was quickly drowned out by the electric cheers of the crowd at Progressive Field as the ball launched 396 feet into left-center field.
An ALDS Game 5 grand slam.
Guardians fans went wild, fireworks boomed in the background and Thomas trailed his three teammates as they trotted around the bases. Thomas was greeted at home plate to hugs and back-pats from teammates as the Guardians took a 5-1 lead over the Tigers.
Thomas continued his day with an RBI later in the game to give the Guardians a 6-3 lead.
The Guardians held on their lead, beating the Tigers 7-3 and advancing to the American League Championship Series against the New York Yankees.
