Emmanuel Clase had a pretty inconsistent October leading up to Game 5 of the ALDS, but Cleveland Guardians manager Stephen Vogt still put his faith in the league’s most dominant closer on Saturday.

Clase took the mound with no outs in the top of the eighth inning against the Detroit Tigers and inherited a runner at first base while the Guardians led 6-3. After forcing a lineout and a flyout, Clase struck out Kerry Carpenter in an eight-pitch at-bat to escape the frame unscathed.

With one more insurance run to work with in the ninth, Clase needed just nine pitches to put together a 1-2-3 inning and secure the victory. Clase came away with a perfect six-out save, helping Cleveland advance to the ALCS.

According to Sarah Langs of MLB.com, that was only the 14th six-out save in a winner-take-all postseason game since saves became official in 1969. It was the first since Lance McCullers Jr. pitched one with the Houston Astros in Game 7 of the 2017 ALCS, even though McCullers was a starting pitcher by trade.

The last save with six outs and no runners recorded in the postseason prior to Clase’s came from San Francisco Giants closer Camilo Doval in Game 3 of the 2021 NLDS, according to StatMuse Baseball.