The Cleveland Guardians just might be back on track following an extended rough stretch. And they have possibly cooled off the surging Detroit Tigers in the process.
The American League Central-leading Guardians will look for a third straight victory and a series win over the visiting Tigers on Thursday.
After falling 8-2 to Detroit on Monday in the opener of the four-game set for a seventh loss in its last nine, Cleveland rebounded to win 5-4 on Tuesday, then overcame the exit of ace Tanner Bibee due to cramping for a 2-1 victory on Wednesday. Josh Naylor drove home brother Bo with a two-out single in the eighth to break a 1-1 tie in the latest contest.
“We want to come out here and play good baseball,” Bo Naylor, who opened the eighth with a walk, stole second and scored from third on his brother’s bouncer, told Bally Sports Cleveland. “It just shows the kind of identity that we’ve created. We’re a team that other teams want to come out and play hard against.”
The Guardians hope scheduled starter Gavin Williams (0-2, 4.50 ERA) also can bounce back after he allowed three runs, six hits, two walks and hit two batters while striking out five in 3 2/3 innings during a 7-0 home loss to the San Diego Padres on Saturday. The Guardians have been shut out twice in Williams’ four starts this season.
“Just got a (few) little things to figure out here and there,” Williams said.
The best of Williams’ limited action to a season that was delayed three months due to an elbow issue came against Detroit on July 8. In that contest, Williams allowed four hits nad a walk and fanned five over 5 1/3 innings of Cleveland’s 1-0 victory. Williams has faced the Tigers only one other time in his career, when he was charged with a loss while allowing three runs on six hits in five innings on Aug. 18, 2023.
Detroit, which has dropped three of four following a 10-2 stretch, wasted a gem by Jack Flaherty on Wednesday. The right-hander allowed one run, which was unearned, and struck out six in six innings to further increase his trade value.
With only three healthy starting pitchers in the mix, the Tigers are slated for a second bullpen game in the last three contests in the series finale on Thursday. Detroit used five pitchers on Tuesday during a bullpen-game loss to Cleveland.
“Bullpen games are hard,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “I don’t think this is going to be the configuration for too long, but it is a necessity right now.”
The Tigers’ offense managed just two hits on Wednesday, with one being a first-inning homer by Matt Vierling. In his past 10 games, Vierling is batting .325 (13-for-40) with two home runs and seven RBIs.
Vierling is 1-for-2 with a walk in his career vs. Williams. Rookie Colt Keith, batting .344 (21-for-61) with six home runs and 14 RBIs in his past 18 contests, is 1-for-3 against the righty.
Cleveland All-Star Steven Kwan tied the Wednesday game with an RBI single in the fifth inning. He is 4-for-12 in the series after going 4-for-23 in the previous six games that spanned the All-Star break.
–Field Level Media
