Weak Offense and Bullpen Struggles
· Yahoo Sports
The Cleveland Guardians and Chicago White Sox faced off to determine if the Guardians go into the off day tomorrow 2.0 games back or 4.0 games back from first place.
Cleveland scored in the top of the first with Steven Kwan singling on a ground ball to left. Chase DeLauter drew a six pitch walk followed up by a single to right by José Ramírez. The right fielder fumbled the ball a bit, allowing Steven Kwan to score on the error and Chase DeLauter to reach third base. With runners on the corners, Nathaniel Lowe hit a sac fly to center to tack on another run for Cleveland.
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Your browser does not support the video tag.Joey Cantillo was the starting pitcher for Cleveland and was struggling early in the first. A single and a double was all the White Sox needed to close the lead to one run. Cantillo ended up pitching 31 pitches in the first inning before the skies opened up and the game entered into a rain delay for about 1 hour and 20 minutes.
Once gameplay resumed, the Guards turned to the bullpen to finish the game. Tim Herrin pitched the second inning, the first time in his major league career, and went scoreless for 1.2 innings of work. The Cleveland defense gave Herrin some highlight reel worthy help. Catcher Patrick Bailey turned a strike-’em-out, throw-‘em-out double play to end the second inning.
Your browser does not support the video tag.In the bottom of the third, right fielder Chase DeLauter turned what looked like a would be triple to an out with an incredible throw to José.
Your browser does not support the video tag.Craig Yoho finished out the third inning for Herrin and, unfortunately, imploded. Yoho allowed four runs on two hits and four walks before finally retiring the side. Colin Holderman went 1.2 innings, walking a batter and striking out two. Eric Sabrowski finished the fifth and started the sixth inning, recording two outs and walking three batters. Hunter Gaddis came on the finish the sixth and pitch the full seventh. He walked one and struck out two. Cade Smith, who desperately needed work with tomorrow’s off day, pitched the eighth, striking out one.
The Guards tried to put together a rally in the top of the ninth. Angel Genao drew a walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. With one out, Chase DeLauter drew a walk to bring the game tying run to the plate in José Ramírez. During his at bad, another wild pitch allowed both runners to advance to scoring position. José hit a sac fly to center for the second out. That left the game resting on Rhys Hoskins’ shoulders. Rhys swung on the first pitch. The ball wasn’t hit hard enough to clear the yard and Chicago right fielder Braden Montgomery made the final out.
With this loss, the Guardians plummet to fourth in the division. The Detroit Tigers are now in second, 3.5 games behind Chicago and the Minnesota Twins are in third with the same record as Cleveland. Cleveland falls to 58-61 heading into tomorrow’s off day.