Kyle Manzardo struggles in MLB debut but Jose Ramirez HR powers Guardians to win over Tigers

CLEVELAND — It was "Kyle Manzardo Day" at Progressive Field on Monday night. And though the highly touted rookie had a performance to forget in his major league debut, the Guardians still celebrated a win. With his parents in attendance, Manzardo struck out three times in three at-bats, but Cleveland opened a three-game series against Central Division rival Detroit with a 2-1 win behind a sixth-inning home run from Jose Ramirez. Ramirez, who snapped an 0-for-19 skid with a homer Sunday, launched a solo shot off the foul pole in right field to break a 1-all tie and send the first-place Guardians to their fourth victory in six games. It was a historical long ball for Ramirez, who moved past Hall of Famer Larry Doby with his 87th go-ahead homer — the most in franchise history. "What else can this guy do, right?" asked manager Stephen Vogt. "He just seems to come up big night after night for us. When we need something, when we can't really get anything going, he steps up and answers the call. He's just a special player that Cleveland has been lucky to have for this long and for the future." Ramirez was unaware of his exact struggling statistics, but knew he wasn't seeing results, entering the night batting only .230 with the second-lowest on-base percentage (.279) on the team. "First of all, I didn't know I was 0-for-19," Ramirez said through an interpreter. "I come every day to compete and try to do my best. I've been a little bit frustrated, because in previous at-bats I've been hitting the ball really well without luck. Finally, I feel like I'm getting my timing down and I want to continue to put up good at-bats and help this team win." Guardians starter Triston McKenzie's outing began dubiously when the Tigers' Riley Greene hit the first pitch of the game over the wall in center field, but the right-hander shook it off and locked in quickly. He struck out the next four batters and allowed only two hits over the next four innings. "I thought it was a good pitch. I think he just put a good swing on it," McKenzie said of Greene's homer. "I honestly didn't even think it was going to get out, but, I mean, it's one pitch. You just gotta get back in the saddle and keep going. "Just being able to go out there and go five (innings) again today. Just put the team in a good spot to win and holding the zero after giving up a home run. That was big for me." Manzardo struck out swinging on four pitches against right-handed Tigers starter Jack Flaherty in his first big league at-bat in the second inning. He fanned on a 3-2 pitch from Flaherty in the fifth then took the hat trick, swinging again at a 1-2 pitch from reliever Joey Wentz in the seventh. "Welcome to the big leagues," Vogt said. "It's hard to hit here and it's Day 1 and he's here. He's earned it. Everybody's going to have a three strikeout game, and if you haven't, you haven't been here long enough. "He's smiling ear to ear after the game because winning matters here." Cleveland answered Detroit's first-pitch homer as soon as possible after Estevan Florial started the bottom of the first with a double and scored on a two-out base hit from Will Brennan. "It was huge," Vogt said of the response run. "You get punched in the mouth like that, first pitch of the game, for our guys to come right back, even it out, it's just what these guys do, man. We don't quit. We answer back. "It was just huge for Triston to be able to exhale, go out, 'All right, 0-0 again. Here we go.' He didn't go as deep into the game as he would've liked, but did his job tonight." Left-hander Sam Hentges was activated from the injured list prior to the game, making his season debut in the sixth. He left two on with two outs for Nick Sandlin after Bo Naylor was charged with catcher's interference and Hentges walked Parker Meadows. Sandlin struck out Javy Baez to end the threat. Closer Emmanuel Clase needed only nine pitches to retire the side in order in the ninth to earn his 11th save in 13 chances. Contact Chris Assenheimer at (440) 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com. Like him on Facebook and follow him @CAwesomeheimer on X.