Jo Adell homers and Angel Martínez gets 3 hits as Guardians hold off Tigers 6-4

By: Dave Hogg, The Associated Press Posted: 9:09 PM CDT Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026

DETROIT (AP) — Jo Adell homered and Angel Martínez had three hits as the Cleveland Guardians defeated the Detroit Tigers 6-4 on Wednesday night to snap a three-game skid.

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DETROIT (AP) — Jo Adell homered and Angel Martínez had three hits as the Cleveland Guardians defeated the Detroit Tigers 6-4 on Wednesday night to snap a three-game skid.

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DETROIT (AP) — Jo Adell homered and Angel Martínez had three hits as the Cleveland Guardians defeated the Detroit Tigers 6-4 on Wednesday night to snap a three-game skid.

The Guardians (59-62) are 7-1 against the Tigers this season and have won 12 of the past 14 meetings between the AL Central rivals.

The Tigers (59-61) had won three straight and eight of 10 overall. They were trying to reach .500 for the first time since they were 18-18 on May 4.

Cleveland Guardians' Jo Adell celebrates his two-run home run against the Detroit Tigers during the fifth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Foster Griffin (13-4) allowed three runs — one earned — on four hits and a walk in five innings. He improved to 1-1 in two outings with Cleveland since arriving from Washington in a trade-deadline deal. The rookie left-hander had lost his previous two starts, giving up 11 runs in 9 1/3 innings.

Cade Smith got four outs for his 31st save this season, including five against the Tigers.

Framber Valdez (7-8) took the loss, yielding four runs on six hits and five walks in 5 2/3 innings.

The Guardians scored twice in the first on a run-scoring double play and an RBI double by Martínez, but the Tigers tied it in the bottom half. An error by third baseman José Ramírez gave them a runner at first with two outs before Hao-Yu Lee and Spencer Torkelson hit back-to-back doubles to make it 2-all.

Detroit took a 3-2 lead on Gleyber Torres’ homer in the third, but Adell put the Guardians back in front with a two-run homer in the fifth. Adell is hitting .129 (4 for 31) against the Tigers this season with three home runs.

Cleveland made it 6-3 with a two-out rally against Enmanuel De Jesus in the seventh. Angel Genoa grounded an RBI double just inside first base to score Martínez, and Austin Hedges followed with an RBI single.

Kevin McGonigle scored on a wild pitch in the eighth, narrowing the margin to 6-4, but Smith struck out rookie Max Clark in a 12-pitch at-bat to end the inning.

The Tigers put two runners aboard in the ninth, but Cleveland shortstop Brayan Rocchio made a jumping throw from deep in the hole to retire McGonigle and end the game.

Up next

The teams finish the three-game series Thursday afternoon, with Cleveland LHP Parker Messick (9-6, 2.57 ERA) facing RHP Keider Montero (8-7, 3.38).

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