ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Cleveland Guardians have made themselves at home on the road thus far during their run through the postseason.
While the road has been kind, the Guardians will turn to Plant City, Fla., native Parker Messick on Tuesday when they play Game 2 of their best-of-seven American League Championship Series against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Messick (0-1, 5.40 ERA postseason) said “a pretty large group of people” will make the approximate 45-minute trek to Tropicana Field to cheer him on.
The Florida State product, a 25-year-old rookie left-hander, fared well in both of his outings for Cleveland at the Rays. He allowed a total of two runs in 13 2/3 innings, including one run over 7 2/3 frames on July 26.
“I think I’ve handled it both times pretty well, both starts have been fine,” Messick said on Monday, hours before the Guardians rallied for a 7-3 win in the ALCS opener. “So I anticipate this just being another day I get to see family and get to pitch in front of the people that care most about me.
Added Guardians manager Stephen Vogt: “He’s had two straight very good starts here in front of his family and friends. It’s always a special boost when you get to play at home as a player.”
Messick is 2-1 with a 1.03 ERA in four career appearances (all starts) versus Tampa Bay.
He yielded two runs for his second straight postseason outing against the Chicago White Sox on Thursday. He escaped with a no-decision despite matching a career high with four walks in 2 1/3 innings.
“You can definitely tell it’s October baseball, but everyone goes through it,” said Messick, who went 12-9 with a 2.56 ERA in 32 regular-season starts this year. “You’ve got to find a way to dig deep and keep going. I feel great, though.”
So did his teammates, as the Guardians scored all seven of their runs on Monday over the final four innings. They have erupted for 25 during their three road playoff games.
In-season acquisitions Nathaniel Lowe, Jo Adell and Patrick Bailey combined for five hits and five RBIs in the series opener. Lowe ripped a tiebreaking two-run single in the eighth inning, while Bailey and rookie Chase DeLauter homered for Cleveland.
Jose Ramirez and DeLauter each had three of the 14 hits by the Guardians, who handed the Rays their first loss of the playoffs.
Rays right-hander Freddy Peralta (0-0, 1.93 ERA postseason) will attempt to keep Cleveland’s bats in check when he makes the start on Tuesday.
Peralta posted a 5-0 record with a 0.79 ERA over his last six regular-season starts before receiving a no-decision against the Yankees on Oct. 5. He limited New York to one run on three hits in 4 2/3 innings.
Peralta, 30, is 1-2 with a 4.00 ERA in four career appearances (three starts) against Cleveland.
Tampa Bay also seems to have avoided a significant injury after left fielder Jonny DeLuca collided with third baseman Junior Caminero while chasing a ninth-inning fly ball in foul territory on Monday. Caminero remained on the field for several moments before getting to his feet. He remained in the game.
“He’s OK,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said postgame about Caminero. “I think he just got the wind knocked out of him. He seems to be totally fine now.”
–Field Level Media
