The Cleveland Guardians had their shot in the eighth inning Wednesday night, and it slipped away in the kind of blunt, ugly fashion that can flatten a game in a heartbeat. With one out and runners on first and second, Chase DeLauter grounded into an inning-ending double play, ending Cleveland’s best chance to crack Boston and sending the Guardians to a 1-0 loss to the Red Sox at Fenway Park.
The defeat leaves the series tied at one win apiece, and it also delays the postseason celebration. Had Cleveland won, it could have punched its ticket with a Texas Rangers or Houston Astros loss. Instead, the Guardians will have to wait at least another day.
The night belonged to the pitchers for a long stretch. Guardians starter Foster Griffin worked six innings, allowing 10 hits but only one run while striking out seven. He was sharp enough to keep Cleveland in it, lowering his ERA to 3.60, but his lineup never gave him much help.
Sonny Gray was even better for Boston. He also went six innings, but he kept Cleveland off the board entirely, giving up four hits and a walk while striking out three. He didn’t overpower the Guardians, but he kept them uncomfortable from start to finish.
The only run came in the bottom of the sixth, when Andruw Monasterio came through with a two-out single that brought in Jarren Duran.
Cleveland’s bullpen did its part, too. Tim Herrin threw a scoreless inning with three strikeouts, and Matt Festa and Shawn Armstrong, back from the injured list, worked together to get through another frame.
The problem was everything around that. The Guardians managed just five hits and didn’t produce a single extra-base hit. Steven Kwan accounted for two of those hits, and Jose Ramirez added his 36th stolen base of the season.
At 82-76, Cleveland now faces the possibility of losing sole possession of the top spot in the AL Central, depending on the Chicago White Sox’s result.
In Other News...
Josh Naylor Just Gave Cleveland A Playoff Boost They Desperately Needed
Josh Naylors walk-off single against the Astros gave Cleveland exactly the kind of late-inning lift it has been chasing in a tight September stretch. The hit not only delivered a needed win, it also dropped the Guardians magic number to clinch a postseason spot to one, putting them within striking distance of locking up a place in the playoff field with little margin left for error.
The ripple effects extended beyond Cleveland, too, with the result keeping the AL West race knotted as the Astros and Rangers stayed tied for the lead. It also bought the Mariners another day of hope in the postseason chase, even as Naylors own season has been uneven overall, which made the timing of the swing all the more meaningful for a Cleveland team looking for any edge it can get. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Take Unusual Mound Gamble With AL Central Stakes Rising
With four games left in the regular season, the Guardians are making a notable pitching choice for their series finale against the Red Sox. Daniel Espino is set to start, while Joey Cantillo is lined up for a bulk relief role, a setup Cleveland is using as it tries to keep a one-game edge over the White Sox in the AL Central.
The timing gives the move extra weight, because every inning now carries division implications and a possible first-round bye. Cleveland has spent the stretch run fighting to stay in control of its own fate, and the way it handles this matchup in Boston could shape how comfortable that path looks by the time the regular season ends. [Read more 🡒]
Gavin Williams Has One More Shot At A Cleveland Milestone Chase
Gavin Williams has put himself in striking distance of a notable finish to his season, sitting atop the American League with 244 strikeouts as the regular season winds down. Milwaukees Jacob Misiorowski is just ahead at 247, and with one more outing still expected for Williams, Cleveland has a chance to watch its starter keep pushing a chase that has quietly become one of the more interesting late-season stats to follow.
The setup is favorable, too, with Clevelands schedule and standings pointing to a normal turn against the Kansas City Royals. That gives Williams one more opportunity to add to his total and maybe tighten the race before the final week closes on him, leaving the outcome of the strikeout battle hanging on one last start. [Read more 🡒]