CLEVELAND — It's called Guards Ball .

The Cleveland Guardians play a grit-and-grind brand of baseball rooted in hustle and precision: bunts dropped down to advance runners, singles stretched into doubles, pressure applied with fearless baserunning. The Guardians' weak offense manufactures runs through fundaments, while their elite pitching staff stacks zeros and their sharp defense keeps clean.

To open the MLB playoffs, the Detroit Tigers stole a page from the Guardians' book — for now, let's call it Tigs Ball — in the seventh inning Tuesday, Sept. 30, during Game 1 of the American League wild-card series at Progressive Field.

A rare bunt led to a 2-1 win .

"These games are so crazy," said manager A.J. Hinch , whose Tigers are one win away from advancing to the ALDS for the s

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