CLEVELAND — Not. Dead. Yet.

The Detroit Tigers, after squandering a 10-game division lead in September, after squandering one scoring chance after another Wednesday to put their season again on the brink, will play on.

For the second consecutive season, they advance to the American League Division Series, eliminating the Cleveland Guardians 6-3 Thursday at Progressive Field.

Catcher Dillon Dingler — the Ohio State and Massillon, Ohio, product — broke a 1-1 tie in the top of the sixth inning, launching a hanging change-up from left-handed reliever Joey Cantillo into the bleachers in left field.

The 401-foot blast was his first hit of the series.

Then in the seventh, all the pent-up frustration the Tigers’ hitters had endured through the first two games of this series was released in a four-run, five-hit barrage.

The rally was started by Javier Baez, who has been the steadiest hitter in the lineup this series. He doubled off the wall and Parker Meadows, moved to the bottom of the batting order, executed a bunt single against lefty reliever Erik Sabrowski.

The Guardians walked Kerry Carpenter intentionally to load the bases and set up a force play at every base with struggling Wenceel Perez coming up.

Perez foiled them. He snapped an 0-for-11 drought, lashing a two-run single to right and the Tigers’ dugout erupted.

And the hits kept coming. Spencer Torkelson and Riley Greene both ripped RBI singles.

The Tigers won’t have long to savor this one. They will board a flight to Seattle and begin the ALDS Saturday.

It will be a very happy flight.

The Tigers broke on top in the third inning, but the inning ended with more stranded runners.

One of Tigers manager AJ Hinch’s talking points coming into the game was forcing early decisions for Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt. Hinch tweaked his batting order to facilitate that, moving Meadows to the bottom of the order and creating alternating right-handed and left-handed hitters.

The first decision point did, in fact, come early. In the third inning. With one out, Meadows singled and went to third on a single by the new leadoff hitter Gleyber Torres.

Vogt opted to remove right-handed starter Slade Cecconi and bring in left-handed reliever Tim Herrin to face lefty Carpenter.

Hinch stayed with Carpenter and got rewarded with an RBI double. Carpenter hit a hard ground ball over the bag at first that first baseman C.J. Kayfus misplayed.

With the three-batter rule, the Tigers had the matchups in their favor with runners still at second and third. But Herrin outpitched the percentages, getting Perez (.865 OPS against lefties) to pop out and striking out Torkelson (.884 OPS against lefties).

Missed opportunity, again.

Through five innings, the Tigers were 1 for 5 with runners in scoring position, that after being 1 for 15 in Game 2.

And as if rubbing salt in that wound, the Guardians tied the game in the bottom of the fourth inning, delivering on their first opportunity with a runner in scoring position.

Perennial All-Star Jose Ramirez lined a two-strike single to right scoring George Valera, who led off the inning with a double off Tigers’ starter Jack Flaherty.

Flaherty, though, did his part. That was the only blemish in 4 2/3 innings. He struck out four.

More importantly, going through the Guardians’ lineup twice helped set up the bullpen matchups for Hinch.

Even with three left-handed hitters coming up, Hinch went to right-hander Kyle Finnegan first. And Finnegan, acquired at the trade deadline from the Nationals, recorded four straight outs, setting down Game 2 hero Brayan Rocchio, Steven Kwan, Valera and the always-dangerous Ramirez to get the game to the seventh inning.

After the Tigers’ offense kicked in, Tyler Holton pitched a scoreless seventh. But Tommy Kahnle only got one out in the eighth, leaving runners at second and third.

Will Vest struck out Valera and got Ramirez to hit a ground ball to Torkelson at first. Vest, though, was unable to handle the firm throw at the bag. The ball got by him and two runs scored.

Vest retrieved the ball and threw out Ramirez at second.

There was no drama in the ninth and the celebration was on.

AL Division Series

Seattle vs. Detroit

Game 1: at Mariners, Saturday, Oct. 4, 4:08 p.m. ET (Fox)

Game 2: at Mariners, Sunday, Oct. 5, 8:03 p.m. ET (FS1)

Game 3: at Tigers, Tuesday, Oct. 7, time TBA (Fox or FS1)

x-Game 4: at Tigers, Wednesday, Oct. 8, time TBA (Fox or FS1)

x-Game 5: at Mariners, Friday, Oct. 10, time TBA (Fox or FS1)

x-If necessary

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