Another shutout sweep for Cleveland.
The Cleveland Guardians have once again found themselves below .500 and looking to avoid another sweep.
Logan T. Allen immediately got into trouble, giving up a one-out walk and a single. With two outs, LTA threw a 77.1 mph sweeper in the zone for Nolan Gorman who launched it to right center field. The Cardinals took an early 3-0 lead.
The Guards had the opportunity to get on the board and potentially take the lead. José Ramírez drew a walk after two quick outs. Carlos Santana hit a single to center, but José had a great jump on the hit and advanced to third. Lane Thomas worked a walk to load the bases. Angel Martínez wasn’t able to capitalize on the runners in scoring position. After an awful called strike one Martínez couldn’t afford to be patient and hit into a force out for the final out of the inning.
In the top of the second LTA squeaked out of another tough inning of his own making. Allen gave up a lead off walk and a one out single, but center fielder Lane Thomas had a great throw down from center to third to prevent runners on the corners.
The Cardinals ran themselves out of the inning with another runner picked off and caught stealing second to retire the side.
In the top of the third, Gabriel Arias suffered an apparent ankle injury trying to make a sliding play. He was carted off the field and replaced by Daniel Schneemann as short for the remainder of the game. Later in the game it was confirmed on air that x-rays were negative and it is a left ankle sprain. The complete details are still unknown at the time of writing.
LTA ended up earning a quality start, going a full 6.0 innings. He gave up 3ER on 6H and 2BB. Allen struck out 6 with the mistake pitch homer being the only blemish on his day. Hunter Gaddis came on in relief for the Guards in the seventh inning. Gaddis gave up a lead off single and a one-out home run to put the Cardinals up 5-0. A sixth run was allowed by the Guardians pitching staff in the top of the eighth. After giving up a single, Gaddis was replaced by the lefty Tim Herrin. Herrin walked his first batter faced, then struck out the next. A double steal put runners on second and third with the runner on third scoring on a sac fly to center. Lane Thomas had a perfect throw from center to home, but it made a awkward bounce. Catcher Austin Hedges wasn’t able to field it and apply the tag and the run was recorded as a throwing error on Lane.
After that run, Stephen Vogt went to the righty Matt Festa to finish up the inning with an inherited runner on third. Festa allowed that inherited runner to score. Emmanuel Clase needed some work and took on the ninth with a 7-0 deficit. Clase made very quick work of the Cardinals with a 3 up 3 down inning including 2 strikeouts.
The Guardians had 3 hits and 8 walks in this loss.