Parker Messick gave the Guardians exactly the kind of start that usually travels. The rookie left-hander punched out 10 Giants over 6 2/3 innings Wednesday night, but Cleveland never found a way to cash in and dropped a 1-0 decision at Progressive Field.
It was the kind of night that left Messick stuck with the same old problem Tanner Bibee knows well: not enough help from the lineup. The lone run he surrendered in the fourth was all San Francisco needed, and it marked the third time in Messick’s last seven starts that Cleveland has been shut out.
Two of those blankings have come in his last two outings, and in those losses he’s given up just three runs across 12 1/3 innings while striking out 18. The Guardians have now been shut out 12 times this season, tying the Mets for the third most in the big leagues.
The Giants didn’t need much after that fourth-inning opening. Rafael Devers started the frame with a double to center, and after Messick retired Willy Adames and Bryce Eldridge, a wild pitch moved Devers to third.
Victor Bericoto then bounced a single off Brayan Rocchio’s glove to bring Devers home. Jung Hoo Lee followed with a double to put two in scoring position, but Messick got Osleivis Basabe to end the threat with the damage limited to one run.
Cleveland had a chance to answer in the fourth, but it never broke through. Angel Martinez singled off Basabe’s glove at second, Travis Bazzana pushed him to third with a double to right, and Angel Genao lined out to left against Adrian Houser.
That was about as close as the Guardians came against a Giants staff that worked like a relay race. Lefty Matt “Tugboat” Wilkinson, making his big-league debut and serving as the opener, retired the side in order in the first and worked two scoreless innings. Martinez started the second with a bloop single and stole second, but Wilkinson left him stranded.
Houser, who followed as the bulk pitcher, shut the door from there. The right-hander threw five scoreless innings, allowing four hits and two walks while keeping Cleveland from turning any of its scattered traffic into runs. It was his 16th start in 25 appearances this season.
The Guardians’ best late shot came in the eighth. Steven Kwan opened the inning with a walk, but Dylan Smith came in and struck out Jose Ramirez, Nathiel Lowe and Martinez to slam the door. In the ninth, Angel Genao singled with one out, yet Smith finished the job by striking out Petey Halpin and pinch-hitter Patrick Bailey for his third save.
Cleveland has now lost 11 of its last 16 games, and the home results haven’t helped. The Guardians fell to 30-34 at home, while the Giants picked up only their 23rd road win. The game moved quickly, wrapping in two hours and 19 minutes.
The series continues Thursday at 1:10 p.m. with RHP Gavin Williams (11-7, 3.74) facing RHP Landen Roupp (7-12, 4.31).
In Other News...
Guardians Lineup Suddenly Has A New Problem Fans Cant Ignore
The Guardians have had to keep shuffling their lineup around injuries, and the latest turn only adds to the uncertainty. Rhys Hoskins was moved to the injured list because of lower back inflammation, opening a spot that Cleveland filled by bringing David Fry back up from Triple-A Columbus. It is another reminder of how quickly the depth chart can change for a club trying to keep its offense moving while managing bodies all over the roster.
Frys return at least gives Cleveland a versatile option, and he has been swinging the bat well in Columbus, which makes him a useful piece to plug into a lineup that needs stability. Chase DeLauter and Jo Adell are still active, but both are dealing with injuries of their own, with DeLauter working through mild left hamstring tightness and Adell handling a left knee contusion. For the Guardians, the bigger concern now is how long this injury pileup can keep forcing them to mix and match before it starts affecting the lineup in a more serious way. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Get A Timely Health Boost In Wild Card Push
The Guardians got a welcome bit of injury news as they head into their series against the Giants, with three players all moving in the right direction at a time when every healthy arm and bat matters. Rookie outfielder Chase DeLauter is feeling better after an MRI turned up no alarming issues, leaving him day-to-day, while the club also has encouraging signs from the pitching side with reliever Colin Holderman and starter Slade Cecconi both taking steps forward.
Holderman has resumed playing catch and is preparing to pitch, an important checkpoint for a bullpen that can use as much depth as it can get. Cecconi, meanwhile, has gotten through bullpen sessions and is expected to start a rehab assignment soon, a development that gives Cleveland another possible reinforcement to track as the wild card chase tightens and the calendar keeps moving. [Read more 🡒]
Bo Naylor Is Raising A Tough Question Cleveland Never Answered
Bo Naylors first weeks in the Brewers organization have offered a fresh look at the same bat Cleveland spent years trying to sort out. Since the trade, he has played exclusively at Triple-A Nashville, and the early returns suggest something is clicking in a different way. The changes show up in the contact profile as much as the results, with a more favorable shape to his production and a version of his offense that looks cleaner than it did before the move.
For Cleveland, the harder question is the one that always hovered around Naylor: whether the offensive gains can translate when the level changes. Milwaukee can still treat him as a catching option down the road, but the organization is really gathering evidence on whether this is a real adjustment or just a hot stretch against Triple-A pitching. The Guardians never got a definitive answer on that front, and now another club is left trying to find one. [Read more 🡒]