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Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase’s Wild Thing entrance goes viral

Originally posted on MLB on ClutchPoints | By Alex House | Last updated Oct 12, 2024 6:19 PM ET

On the rare occasion when reality and cinema blend together, electricity tends to ensue. When the Cleveland Guardians called upon Emmanuel Clase to record the final six outs in Game 5 of the American League Division Series, he brought everyone back to 1989.

The All-Star closer came through the bullpen doors and jogged towards the mound as the rock song “Wild Thing” blared over the speaker, via Fox Sports: MLB.

After paying homage to Charlie Sheen’s iconic Ricky Vaughn– the beloved rebel flamethrower from the classic sports film, “Major League”– Clase proceeded to mow through every batter he faced to secure the series-clinching 7-3 win over the Detroit Tigers.

Cleveland punctuated the hard-fought ALDS victory with a euphoric trip down memory lane, except this triumph was completely real. The Guardians finally solved the seemingly indecipherable Tarik Skubal code in the fifth inning as midseason acquisition Lane Thomas blasted a grand slam in the fifth inning to build a 5-1 lead.

Steven Kwan enjoyed another three-hit outing, Cleveland sweated out a couple of big Detroit at-bats, and Clase tossed two masterful innings to finish off the scrappy club.

Emmanuel Clase x Wild Thing entrance pic.twitter.com/1u9ng0PRoH

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 12, 2024

Can the Guardians bring “Major League” to life in ALCS?

Surviving the Tigers is obviously cause for elation on its own, but the Guardians made the moment even more special by supplying fans with a dash of movie magic.

Clase’s “Wild Thing” entrance calls back to the scene when the erratic yet superbly talented Ricky Vaughn is asked to put away the most fierce hitter in the league, New York Yankees slugger Clu Haywood (portrayed by actual AL Cy Young winner Pete Vuckovich).

Similar to Vaughn’s struggles against the Yankees, Clase came into Game 5 with a recently poor track record versus the Tigers. He allowed a back-breaking home run to Kerry Carpenter in Game 2 and also surrendered a run in the ninth inning of Cleveland’s Game 4 victory. Again, just like Vaughn, the Dominican Republic native brought down the hammer late in a must-win matchup.

Admittedly, the Guardians took the pressure off Emmanuel Clase by adding another insurance run in the eighth, but there are no guarantees when it comes to ousting the relentless underdog that is the 2024 Detroit Tigers. Clase ensured that Cleveland would get a feel-good ending, at least on this day.

There are more parallels between “Major League” and the Guardians’ current postseason run, as they now prepare for a big encounter with New York. The club will need Clase to maintain the same aura he did late in Game 5 if it is going to seize its first pennant since 2016.

This article first appeared on MLB on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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