Tigers RISP issues, AJ Hinch bullpen decision gift Guardians Wild Card Game 2

Despite so many squandered opportunities through eight innings, there was still a lingering feeling that Game 2 of the Tigers' Wild Card series against the Guardians would go Detroit's way. At least they were getting on base; the Guardians had only mustered two hits through the entire game, one of which was a solo homer in the first to George Valera.

They'd gone 1-12 with runners in scoring position, but it felt like a breakthrough could be just around the corner.

They could even have had a lead. The Tigers got screwed by an MLB replay review in the fourth, when a Javy Báez two-run single turned into just a single RBI when Zach McKinstry was ruled out on a slide into third, leaving the game at 1-1.

And then AJ Hinch went to Troy Melton in the eighth inning. The rookie had only ever entered in the eighth once, the latest start to an outing of his season. He pitched a clean half against the Astros, but the Tigers also had a 10-0 lead at the time.

Melton gave up a solo homer to Brayan Rocchio, who only hit five home runs in 115 regular season games, to break the 1-1 tie. Steven Kwan doubled, then Daniel Schneemann doubled to make it 3-1, then Hinch intentionally walked José Ramírez before Melton was yanked.

But it only got worse from there. Lefty Brant Hurter got the second out of the inning but moved Schneemann and Ramírez into scoring position on a Kyle Manzardo groundout.

And then Bo Naylor hit a three-run home run. 6-1, Guardians.

Tigers strand 15 runners, Troy Melton allows two runs in late innings as Detroit drops Wild Card Game 2 to Guardians

The Tigers' bullpen issues and ice-cold offense going into the postseason were always going to be issues, and they just manifested themselves in the worst possible way to force a decisive Game 3. Game 1 featured outstanding pitching from the guy everyone expects outstanding pitching from, which allowed the Tigers to stay away from the bullpen for the most part, but the offense could still only muster up two runs in the win.

One-for-12 with runners in scoring position when the Guardians could only manage two hits is a travesty — and the Tigers didn't even stop there. After Cleveland's five-run inning, the Tigers had a man on first and second in the ninth, and Justyn-Henry Malloy struck out to make it 1-13 with RISP. Wenceel Pérez managed to get on thanks to a Brayan Rocchio error to load the bases, and then Dillon Dingler shot a hard-hit liner to first baseman CJ Kayfus to make it 1-15.

Per MLB.com's Jason Beck, "their 15 runners left on base are 1 shy of record for a 9-inning postseason game, set by 2009 Dodgers in G1 of NLDS."

Aside from the solid starting pitching, every other part of this roster has looked entirely exploitable, even when they won. Game 3 is on deck for Thursday, and the Tigers are going to watch their postseason slip away from them if they play like they did on Wednesday.