Josh Hartle turned in one of the sharpest outings of his career Thursday, but Akron still came away empty-handed as its offense never found a way through in a 1-0 loss to Altoona.
Hartle was in complete command for the RubberDucks, working 5.2 scoreless innings while striking out eight and walking one. He allowed only two hits and backed up a second straight scoreless start of at least five innings, a stretch that at least suggests he may be settling in during the second half.
Jay Driver kept the game moving in the right direction with 2.1 scoreless innings and four strikeouts, but the one mistake Akron couldn’t afford came in the top of the ninth. Izaak Martinez allowed the lone run, and the RubberDucks never answered.
Nolan Schubart reached base twice, finishing 1-for-3 with a walk. Aaron Walton also drew two walks, and Tyresse Turner went 1-for-2 with a walk and a stolen base.
Lake County had no such trouble putting runs on the board, rolling past Fort Wayne 15-3 behind a lineup that keeps producing no matter who gets promoted. Even with Jaison Chourio, Luke Hill, Nolan Schubart, Bennett Thompson, Ryan Cesarini, Aaron Walton and Dean Curley all moved up to Double-A, the Captains just kept hammering away.
Juneiker Caceres led the charge, going 3-for-6 with two doubles. He now owns a 1.032 OPS after a recent promotion. Welbyn Francisca stayed hot as well, going 3-for-5 with a home run and a double, while Jeffrey Mercedes matched him with a three-hit night of his own, finishing 3-for-4 with a homer and a walk.
Jonah Advincula kept his bat loud after being demoted, going 2-for-5 with a double, a walk and three stolen bases. Jace LaViolette also broke out of a recent slump, finishing 2-for-4 with a home run, a double and two walks.
Will McCausland gave up three runs, two earned, on five hits in 3.0 innings, striking out three and walking one. From there, Melkis Hernandez stole the show out of the bullpen, punching out eight in 3.0 scoreless innings without issuing a walk. Logan McGuire closed it out with 2.0 scoreless frames.
Columbus had a win within reach before the bullpen let it slip away in a 4-3 loss to St. Paul. The Clippers grabbed a go-ahead run in the top of the ninth, but Jack Leftwich couldn’t protect it, allowing three hits in the bottom half to take the loss and his first blown save of the season.
Cooper Ingle was all over the ballgame from the leadoff spot, going 4-for-5. Angel Genao finished 2-for-4 with a walk, Juan Brito also went 2-for-4 with a double, and Milan Tolentino drew two walks and stole a base.
Austin Peterson handled the start well enough, giving up two runs on eight hits over 5.1 innings with two strikeouts and a walk. Ryan Webb followed with 1.2 scoreless, hitless innings, and Carlos Hernandez added a perfect eighth before the ninth inning unraveled.
In the first game of a doubleheader, Delmarva edged Hill City 10-9 in eight innings. Reiner Herrera came a single short of the cycle, going 3-for-4 with a home run, a triple and a double.
Riley Nelson also had a strong night, finishing 2-for-2 with two walks. Cannon Peebles homered and went 1-for-3 with a walk, Luis De La Cruz also went deep and finished 1-for-4, and Dauri Fernandez singled and walked but was caught stealing twice.
Aidan Major allowed four runs on seven hits in 4.1 innings, striking out three without walking a batter. Evan Chrest was hit hard for five runs in 1.1 innings, and Javi Torres took the loss after allowing the ghost runner to score in the eighth.
Delmarva kept rolling in game two, beating Hill City 13-5. Victor Izturis went 2-for-3 with a double and Riley Nelson added a triple.
In Other News...
Guardians Just Caught A Rare Break In Rotation Trade Rumors
Kevin Gausman has at least opened the door on the possibility of leaving Toronto, and that matters in Cleveland because the Guardians are still hunting for help in the rotation. The Blue Jays have underperformed enough this season to make a deadline sell-off feel increasingly plausible, and Gausman stands out as one of the more appealing arms who could be available if Toronto decides to move on.
For the Guardians, the fit is obvious: they need starting pitching, and Gausman would slide into a meaningful role without requiring any contractual workaround on Clevelands side. His no-trade protection gives him control over a handful of destinations, but the Guardians are not among the clubs he can block, which keeps the path at least theoretically clear as the deadline picture starts to sharpen. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Just Got A Lululemon Drop Fans Will Definitely Debate
Lululemon is stepping into MLB fandom with a new apparel collection that gives every team its own spin, including the Guardians. The line blends the brands performance-and-lifestyle look with official team branding, and Clevelands version is built around team colors, logos, and the kind of everyday pieces fans can wear beyond the ballpark.
For Guardians followers, the appeal is less about a one-off novelty item and more about how naturally the collection fits into the wardrobe conversation. The drop includes mens apparel and accessories along with cozy layers and lighter essentials, but the full lineup is still broad enough to leave room for debate over which pieces actually feel like a must-have and which ones are more for the diehards. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Fans Have Heard This Deadline Message Before
The Guardians are once again in the familiar spot of weighing deadline upgrades while staying in the thick of a playoff race, and Chris Antonetti is making the same basic point he usually does this time of year: the front office will look for ways to improve, but nothing is promised. Cleveland has kept itself in the hunt, which makes the next few weeks feel important, especially for a club that has already shown it is willing to move when it sees a fit.
What stands out this time is where the need seems clearest. The lineup has been too quiet too often, and a recent extra-innings loss to the Twins, in which Cleveland went 0-for-17 with only three hits, only sharpened that concern. If the Guardians are going to make a move, the offense feels like the obvious place to start, but as always with this front office, the message is to wait and see whether the talks turn into something more concrete. [Read more 🡒]