Tarik Skubal pitched Detroit to a 2-1 Wild Card win over the Guardians in Cleveland on Tuesday. (AP photo)

CLEVELAND (AP) — Tarik Skubal tied Detroit’s postseason record with 14 strikeouts and the Tigers beat the Cleveland Guardians 2-1 on Tuesday in Game 1 of their AL Wild Card Series.

Will Vest got the final four outs for Detroit, surviving a tense ninth inning after Cleveland star Jose Ramírez got hung up between third base and home for the second out.

The Tigers can advance to the AL Division Series for the second straight year with a win Wednesday.

“Anyone new to the Tigers/Guardians, this is what they look like. Like every game,” Detroit manager A.J. Hinch said. “Tarik’s been incredible for us all season, but what a performance at the biggest moments in the biggest stage to get us in a great position to win the game.”

Detroit scored the go-ahead run in the seventh inning when Zach McKinstry’s safety squeeze scored Riley Greene from third.

Ramírez led off the ninth with an infield single and advanced to third when shortstop Javier Báez threw wide of first base. Vest struck out pinch-hitter George Valera, then Kyle Manzardo hit a grounder to Vest. Ramírez broke for home but was cut off by Vest, who chased him down and tagged him out.

“That ball’s two feet either way, he scores,” Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt said. “It just happened to go right back to Vest. So we play aggressive. We always do. We run the bases aggressive. I wouldn’t play that any other way.”

C.J. Kayfus then hit a flyout to Báez in shallow left to end it.

Skubal, who is favored to win his second straight AL Cy Young Award, set a career high for strikeouts. He was dominant and unfazed as he pitched on the same mound where one week ago, he threw a 99 mph fastball that struck Cleveland designated hitter David Fry in the nose and face during the sixth inning.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

DODGERS 10, REDS 5

Shohei Ohtani and Teoscar Hernández hit two home runs apiece, Blake Snell struck out nine over seven strong innings and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Cincinnati Reds 10-5 in their NL Wild Card Series opener Tuesday night.

Tommy Edman also went deep for the Dodgers, who tied a franchise postseason record with five homers and pounded out 15 hits as they opened their bid to become the first back-to-back World Series winners in 25 years.

Ohtani, who had a career-high 55 homers in the regular season, homered leading off the first. His 117.7 mph drive off a 100.4 mph fastball from Reds ace Hunter Greene was the fastest pitch Ohtani has homered on in his major league career.

The two-way superstar from Japan added a two-run, 454-foot shot off Connor Phillips with two outs in the sixth. Ohtani also struck out three times.

The cheers turned to boos for the Dodgers’ bullpen in the eighth when Cincinnati batted around. Los Angeles relievers Alex Vesia, Edgardo Henriquez and Jack Dreyer combined to issue four walks as the Reds scored three runs and pulled to 10-5. The trio needed 59 pitches to get three outs.

Game 2 in the best-of-three series is Wednesday night. The winner advances to a best-of-five Division Series against Philadelphia.

CUBS 3, PADRES 1

Seiya Suzuki and Carson Kelly hit back-to-back homers, helping the Chicago Cubs beat the San Diego Padres 3-1 on Tuesday in Game 1 of their NL Wild Card Series.

Chicago also got a perfect performance from its bullpen in the franchise’s first playoff win since the 2017 National League Championship Series. The Cubs were swept by Miami in the wild-card round in 2020 during their last postseason appearance.

Game 2 of the best-of-three series is back at Wrigley Field on Wednesday afternoon.

“All in all, a really good day for us,” Kelly said. “Having a chance to clinch tomorrow and move to the next round is all you can ask for.”

Suzuki opened the fifth inning with a 424-foot drive to left-center off Nick Pivetta, tying it at 1 and sending a charge through a towel-waving crowd of 39,114 on a picturesque day. Pivetta had retired 11 in a row before Suzuki extended his homer streak to five games going back to the regular season.