It was fitting in many ways that Brayan Rocchio hit the walk-off homer that put an exclamation point on the Cleveland Guardians’ historic run to an AL Central title.
Even though Cleveland had secured its 13th division crown in the eighth inning when the Boston Red Sox beat the Detroit Tigers, the Guardians weren’t content to let the AL Central race finish in a tie and win it on a tiebreaker.
Cleveland rallied from two runs down to force extra innings. Texas pinch-hitter Rowdy Tellez put the Rangers up 8-5 with a three-run homer in the 10th, but the Guardians came back again with Bo Naylor’s RBI double in the bottom half and then Rocchio’s three-run drive down the right-field line that hit the foul pole and gave them a 9-8 victory.
“It’s incredible. I think not only because of the homer and the walk off, but knowing that we were going to win the division the right way. We knew we had at that point, but winning the game was really important for us,” Rocchio said through an interpreter in the celebratory Cleveland clubhouse.
The second baseman has symbolized the Guardians’ second-half rally from 15 1/2 games behind Detroit in early July.
Rocchio was a Gold Glove finalist at shortstop and a catalyst in Cleveland’s run to the American League Championship Series last season. But he started this year batting .165 in 35 games before being optioned to Triple-A Columbus on May 12.
Since being recalled on July 1, Rocchio not only rediscovered his hitting stroke, but he moved to second base.
His .257 batting average the last three months of the season was second on the team to José Ramírez (.258). Rocchio also was third on the club in RBIs (36) and doubles (15).
“He’s been one of our best hitters since he’s come back. And for him to hit that walk-off, it’s super emblematic of our season,” manager Stephen Vogt said. “We never quit. Every setback is an opportunity to get better and Rocchio embodies that better than anybody.”
Rocchio admitted there was a lack of confidence when he got sent down, but said he’s proud of the work he put in to make it back.
“I felt like I was digging from something within, something that I couldn’t know to get that strength to come back, to keep being resilient and keep fighting. So I think it’s that sense of pride that I was able to show what I’m capable of doing,” he said.
The Guardians are hoping Rocchio provides the same offensive spark he did during the postseason last year. The 24-year-old Venezuelan infielder went 11 for 33 in 10 games, including an eight-game hitting streak.
In last year’s Division Series against Detroit, Rocchio was 6 for 16 with an RBI.
The Guardians and Tigers will meet in the playoffs for the second straight season, this time in a best-of-three Wild Card Series that opens Tuesday afternoon in Cleveland.
The Guardians won the season series, taking eight of the 13 games, including five of the last six.
Cleveland not only has the largest comeback to win a division or league championship in major league history, it also produced the largest September rally.
Cleveland was 40-48 and 15 1/2 games behind Detroit on July 6 before beginning the long climb back.
The 1914 Boston Braves were 15 games back in the National League on July 4 and rallied to win by 10 1/2 games, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Since baseball went to division play in 1969, the biggest deficit overcome had been 14 games by the 1978 New York Yankees to win the AL East.
On Sept. 4, the Guardians were 69-70 and 11 games behind the Tigers before going 15-1, including a 10-game winning streak that included a three-game sweep in Detroit. The previous September mark was 8 1/2 games by the 1964 St. Louis Cardinals.
It is Cleveland’s 13th AL Central title, but the first time it has gone back-to-back since winning three straight from 2016-18.
“Obviously, yesterday was special making the playoffs, but to actually finish the job in a division where we were almost mathematically eliminated, for that to happen was pretty special,” catcher Austin Hedges said. “But like I said, we wanted to do it on our terms and go win the game.”