NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Steven Lorentz had a goal and an assist, goalie Dennis Hildeby won his first NHL game and the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the New Jersey Devils 4-2 on Thursday night.
Hildeby, Toronto’s fourth-round pick in the 2022 draft, stopped 22 shots in his NHL debut.
Click to Gallery
Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Jake McCabe (22) controls the puck past New Jersey Devils left wing Tomas Tatar (90) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes (86) controls the puck past Toronto Maple Leafs right wing William Nylander (88) during the third period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Toronto Maple Leafs center Bobby McMann (74) shoots in front of New Jersey Devils defenseman Seamus Casey (24) during the third period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
New Jersey Devils defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic (8) passes he puck past Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares (91) during the third period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Dennis Hildeby (35) makes a save during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the New Jersey Devils Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Toronto Maple Leafs center Steven Lorentz (18) is congratulated by teammates after scoring a goal past New Jersey Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom (25) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Toronto Maple Leafs center Steven Lorentz (18) is congratulated by David Kampf (64) after scoring during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the New Jersey Devils, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Max Pacioretty, Bobby McMann and John Tavares also scored for the Maple Leafs.
Jesper Bratt and Timo Meier scored goals for New Jersey.
The loss spoiled the home debut of Devils coach Sheldon Keefe, who was fired in May after guiding the Maple Leafs for five seasons. He replaced Lindy Ruff, who was let go by New Jersey near the end of the last regular season.
Jacob Markstrom had 18 saves for the Devils.
New Jersey swept the Buffalo Sabres last Friday and Saturday by a combined 7-2 to open the season in the NHL Global Series in Prague.
Toronto's 1-0 loss at Montreal on Wednesday ended its 252-game run (including playoffs) of scoring at least one goal, the third-longest streak in NHL history.
The Maple Leafs' defense prevented few quality shots at Hildeby, blocking 27 shots in front of him. Each of the six Toronto defensemen blocked at least one shot.
The Devils were ineffective on five power plays, scoring just one goal.
The Devils went on back-to-back power plays midway through the second period, trailing 3-1, but failed to score, putting just five shots on goal.
The Maple Leafs have won eight straight road games against the Devils dating to Dec. 18, 2018. It's the longest active road winning streak against a single opponent.
The Maple Leafs start a four-game homestand against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday.
The Devils are at the Washington Capitals on Saturday.
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Jake McCabe (22) controls the puck past New Jersey Devils left wing Tomas Tatar (90) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes (86) controls the puck past Toronto Maple Leafs right wing William Nylander (88) during the third period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Toronto Maple Leafs center Bobby McMann (74) shoots in front of New Jersey Devils defenseman Seamus Casey (24) during the third period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
New Jersey Devils defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic (8) passes he puck past Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares (91) during the third period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Dennis Hildeby (35) makes a save during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the New Jersey Devils Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Toronto Maple Leafs center Steven Lorentz (18) is congratulated by teammates after scoring a goal past New Jersey Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom (25) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Toronto Maple Leafs center Steven Lorentz (18) is congratulated by David Kampf (64) after scoring during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the New Jersey Devils, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
DETROIT (AP) — Pinch-hitter David Fry had a go-ahead, two-run homer in the seventh inning, then bunted home an insurance run in the ninth to help the Cleveland Guardians force a decisive Game 5 against the Detroit Tigers in their AL Division Series with a 5-4 victory on Thursday night.
“David Fry is one of the best baseball players in this league,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said.
Cleveland ended a streak of 11 losses in postseason elimination games dating to Game 6 of 1997 World Series after Emmanuel Clase retired got five outs for his third multi-inning save of the year.
“It’s win or go home,” Vogt said. “You want your best pitchers out there as long as possible.”
AL Cy Young Award favorite Tarik Skubal will start Game 5 for the Tigers on Saturday night in Cleveland.
“It’s always comforting to have Tarik Skubal on the mound,” Detroit manager A.J. Hinch said.
The winner advances to the AL Championship Series against the Yankees in New York starting Monday.
“We’re still one win away,” Detroit first baseman Spencer Torkeslon said. "That’s the mindset. We don’t want it easy. We knew it wasn’t going to be easy.
Fry said the Guardians’ resilience was no surprise.
“We’ve shown that all year long, that’s who these guys are,” he said. “We have a bunch of tough dudes. We get down 2-1 and we’re in the locker room like it’s just another day. We show up ready to play to try and get a win. And let’s go win Game 5.”
On the verge of reaching the ALCS for the first time since 2013, the Tigers overcame a 2-1 deficit when Zach McKinstry homered in the fifth off Tanner Bibee and Wenceel Pérez hit a run-scoring single in the sixth.
Steven Kwan singled off Sean Guenther with two outs in the seventh.
Beau Brieske had pitched scoreless ball for 5 1/3 innings over four postseason appearances before Fry, batting for Kyle Manzardo, drove a fastball off an advertising sign between the two bullpens in left for the second pinch-homer in Cleveland postseason history after Hank Majeski in Game 4 of the 1954 World Series.
Fry hit the fourth go-ahead pinch home run in postseason history when trailing in seventh inning or later after the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Kirk Gibson in the 1988 World Series, Toronto’s Ed Sprague in the 1992 World Series and Atlanta’s Eric Hinske in the 2010 NL Division Series
That quieted 44,923 fans who set a playoff attendance record for the second straight day at 25-year-old Comerica Park.
“Such a great baseball game,” Vogt said.
Clase preserved a 4-3 lead in the eighth when he escaped a second-and-third jam by striking out Trey Sweeney on a 100.9 mph cutter as the batter’s helmet came off.
Brayan Rocchio and Kwan hit one-out singles in the ninth and Fry bunted back to reliever Will Vest. Rocchio slid home headfirst to beat Vest's backhand flip, boosting the lead to 5-3.
That proved to be important.
Pinch-hitter Justyn-Henry Malloy doubled leading off the ninth, advanced on Parker Meadows’ groundout and scored on Jace Jung’s groundout.
Clase, who gave up Kerry Carpenter’s three-run homer in the ninth inning of the 3-0 loss in Game 2, struck out Matt Vierling, who couldn’t check his swing on a low and outside cutter.
“I was really excited to get to the mound, especially getting the trust back from the manager to get me in that role and that responsibility,” Clase said through an interpreter.
Lane Thomas ended the Guardians’ 20-inning scoreless streak with a two-out RBI single in the first off Reese Olson, who did not allow a run in the first inning of 22 regular-season starts
Sweeney hit a sacrifice fly in the second and José Ramírez put Cleveland ahead with a fifth-inning homere off Tyler Holton, ending an 0-for-10 skid.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Carpenter injured his left hamstring when he scored in the sixth and was pinch hit for in the seventh.
“It’s concerning, but I’m going to hold off any thoughts until the doctors give me an update and he gets imaging and all the things that we need to do prior to Saturday,” Hinch said.
UP NEXT
LHP Matthew Boyd may start Game 5 for the Guardians, whose last Game 5 was a loss to the Yankees in the 2022 ALCS. Vogt said the team will make that decision Friday.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Cleveland Guardians' Brayan Rocchio, right, scores in front of Detroit Tigers catcher Jake Rogers, left, on a bunt by David Fry in the eighth inning of Game 4 of a baseball American League Division Series, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Cleveland Guardians' Brayan Rocchio, right, scores in front of Detroit Tigers catcher Jake Rogers, left, on a bunt by David Fry in the eighth inning of Game 4 of a baseball American League Division Series, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Cleveland Guardians' Steven Kwan (38) celebrates with teammate Will Brennan, right, at the end of Game 4 of a baseball American League Division Series against the Detroit Tigers, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Detroit. The Guardians won 5-4. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Cleveland Guardians' Steven Kwan (38) celebrates with teammate Will Brennan, right, at the end of Game 4 of a baseball American League Division Series against the Detroit Tigers, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Detroit. The Guardians won 5-4. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Cleveland Guardians catcher Austin Hedges, left, celebrates with pitcher Emmanuel Clase at the end of Game 4 of a baseball American League Division Series against the Detroit Tigers, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Detroit. The Guardians won 5-4. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Cleveland Guardians' Will Brennan, left, and Josh Naylor celebrate at the end of Game 4 of a baseball American League Division Series against the Detroit Tigers, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Detroit. The Guardians won 5-4. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Cleveland Guardians pitcher Hunter Gaddis throws against the Detroit Tigers in the seventh inning during Game 4 of a baseball American League Division Series, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Cleveland Guardians right fielder Will Brennan makes a sliding attempt at a double by Detroit Tigers' Parker Meadows in the first inning during Game 4 of a baseball American League Division Series, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Cleveland Guardians' Lane Thomas hits an RBI single to score teammate Steven Kwan in the first inning during Game 4 of a baseball American League Division Series against the Detroit Tigers, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Detroit Tigers pitcher Reese Olson throws against the Cleveland Guardians in the first inning during Game 4 of a baseball American League Division Series, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Cleveland Guardians pitcher Tanner Bibee throws against the Detroit Tigers in the first inning during Game 4 of a baseball American League Division Series, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Detroit Tigers' Trey Sweeney hits an RBI sacrifice fly in the second inning during Game 4 of a baseball American League Division Series against the Cleveland Guardians, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Cleveland Guardians' José Ramírez reacts after hitting a solo home run in the fifth inning during Game 4 of a baseball American League Division Series against the Detroit Tigers, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Cleveland Guardians' José Ramírez hits a solo home run in the fifth inning during Game 4 of a baseball American League Division Series against the Detroit Tigers, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Cleveland Guardians' David Fry bunts in the ninth inning during Game 4 of a baseball American League Division Series against the Detroit Tigers, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Cleveland Guardians' David Fry celebrates after hitting a two-run home run in the seventh inning during Game 4 of a baseball American League Division Series against the Detroit Tigers, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Cleveland Guardians' David Fry hits a two-run home run in the seventh inning during Game 4 of a baseball American League Division Series against the Detroit Tigers, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Detroit.(AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
