The Guardians continue their 13 game stretch with Game 2 of the 4 game series versus the Detroit Tigers in Detroit. The Guards really haven’t had a long look at any of their AL Central opponents, with this being the first time they’ve faced the Tigers this season.
The Guardians got on the board first in the top of the second. Kyle Manzardo hit a lead off single to right. Travis Bazzana reached on a walk and both runners advanced on Angel Martínez’ sacrifice bunt. His bunt did put runners into scoring position, but Angel might be the last person on this team that I want bunting with two on and no outs. According to Stephen Vogt in the post game presser, that was Angel’s decision to bunt in that moment. Steven Kwan hit a sac fly to score Manzardo and put the Guardians in the lead.
Parker Messick got the start for Cleveland, going five innings of work. The Tigers got to Messick to immediately respond to the Guardian’s run. With one out, Riley Greene drew a walk. He scored on Spencer Torkelson’s two-run homer.
In the top of the fourth, Kyle Manzardo lead off on base again, this time with a walk. Travis Bazzana delivered a two-run home run to right field.
The Tigers came back, again, to tie it up on a defensive error. Austin Hedges tried to pickoff the runner at first, but the ball got past Manzardo, allowing the runner to score from second. Messick allowed 3R/2ER on 4H, 3BB, and struck out 6 batters.
Cleveland regained the lead in the top of the seventh. Steven Kwan lead off the inning with a long double to right field that was inches shy of a home run. Austin Hedges hit a sac bunt to move Kwan to third (Austin Hedges is a player that should be sac bunting). Brayan Rocchio recorded his 27th RBI of the season with a ground out that scored Kwan from 3rd.
The bullpen, after a few days of minimal use, got a lot of work tonight. Colin Holderman pitched the sixth, allowing 1 hit and striking out one batter. Eric Sabrowski worked his magic in the seventh inning. The only baserunner was a walk and he struck out two. The eighth inning was not as lights out for the bullpen. Tim Herrin came on in relief, walking one, striking out one, and hitting one. Stephen Vogt went to Hunter Gaddis to finish the inning. Gaddis also walked a batter, but a force out and ground out got him out of the inning without allowing a runner to score.
With it being a close game, the team had no choice but to rely on closer Cade Smith. Cade struck out the first batter, but walked the next two. Kevin McGonigle’s single to right put the tying run in scoring position and the go ahead run on first. Cade struck out the fourth batter of the inning for the second out and faced Dillon Dingler for his final batter of the game. Cade secured his fifteenth save of the season with a strikeout on Dingler.
The Guardians won 4-3 with 4 hits and 1 error. Manzardo went 1-for-3 with 2 runs and a walk. Bazzana went 2-for-3 with a run, a walk, a home run, and 2 RBI. Kwan went 1-for-2 with a run, RBI, 2B, and a walk.
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