Guardians lose one late lead, but forge another in 4-2 win over Braves in 11 innings

Published: Apr. 27, 2024, 10:08 p.m.

By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com
ATLANTA -- Manager Stephen Vogt knows his starting rotation is wobbly. Before Saturday night’s game, he talked about the solution.

“We’re letting hitters get back in the count,” said Vogt. “We just want to pound the zone. When our guys are attacking the zone, pitching in good counts that’s when you’ll see them take the next step.”

Tanner Bibee, a couple of hours after Vogt’s statement, did just that. He threw seven scoreless innings with nine strikeouts, but was not around when the Guardians beat the Braves, 4-2, in 11 innings at Truist Park.

Bibee’s seven-inning start was longest by a Cleveland pitcher this season. He was the first Guardians’ starter to reach the seventh inning since Logan Allen went 6 2/3 inning on April 3.

The Guardians won it with two runs in the 11th. Josh Naylor doubled home Steven Kwan, the automatic runner, for a 3-2 lead after Andres Gimenez moved him to third and Jose Ramirez was intentionally walked. Pinch-hitter Ramon Laureano scored Ramirez for the second run of the inning on a sacrifice fly.

Nick Sandlin retired the Braves in order in the 11th for the save. Scott Barlow was the winner. The Guardians are 4-0 in extra innings. The Braves fell to 3-1.

Bibee and Charlie Morton dueled through seven scoreless innings before leaving the game. That’s when Cleveland unveiled it’s small attack against Joe Jimenez in the eighth inning to take a short-lived 2-0 lead.

Bo Naylor opened the inning with a infield single to third. He was forced at second on Gabriel Arias’ grounder to short, but Kwan reached on a bunt single and Gimenez loaded the bases on another infield single to third.

Ramirez ran his way out of a double play on a grounder to second to score Arias for a 1-0 lead as Kwan went to third. Ramirez and Kwan worked a double steal with Kwan coming home for a 2-0 lead.

The Braves tied the score with two runs in the eighth against Hunter Gaddis. Gaddis opened the season with 12 1/3 scoreless innings before tangling with the Braves.

Marcell Ozuna hit a leadoff double to start the rally. Michael Harris II moved him to third on a single to right. He scored on Travis d’Arnaud’s ground rule double down the left field line. Jarred Kelenic tied it with a bloop single to center field.

Harris scored the tying run, but Tyler Freeman threw out d’Arnaud at the plate as he tried to score the go-ahead run.

The Braves threatened Bibee early with doubles in the second and fourth innings.

Ozuna doubled off the the brick wall in right field with one out in the second. Bibee stranded him by retiring the next two batters.

Ozzie Albies started the fourth with a bloop double behind third base. Bibee struck out Austin Riley on a 3-2 pitch in the dirt and then started a 1-6-5-3 double play to end the inning.

Matt Olson sent a tapper back to the mound with Albies trying to advance to third. Bibee threw to Arias at short, who fired to third baseman Jose Ramirez, who tagged Albies and then threw to Josh Naylor at first to get Olson, who had rounded the bag.

Morton limited the Guardians to a pair of infield hits through five innings. Ramirez reached on single to shortstop in the first and Kwan beat out slow roller to the first base side of the mound in the third.

The Guardians finally reached the outfield grass against Morton, 40, in the sixth inning. Gimenez blooped a one-put single into right field to break an 0 for 14 slump. Ramirez forced him at second on a grounder to second.

Josh Naylor followed with a double down the right field line. It was headed for the corner, but Ronald Acuna Jr. speared the ball, turned and fired to Olson, the cutoff man. Olson threw home where catcher Travis d’Arnaud applied the tag to the headfirst sliding Ramirez to end the inning.

Ramirez was out by plenty as he checked to see if d’Arnaud was OK.

Morton allowed four hits in seven innings with six strikeouts.

Next: RHP Ben Lively (0-1, 2.38) vs. RHP Bryce Elder (1-0, 0.00) Sunday at 1:35 p.m. Bally Sports Great Lakes, WTAM, WMMS and the Guardians radio network will carry the game.



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NAYLOR RBI DOUBLE

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TYLER FREEMAN GETS THE FINAL OUT

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LAUREANO'S SAC FLY

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DOUBLE STEAL RAMIREZ STEALS SECOND KWAN STEALS HOME

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BARLOW GETS OUT OF BASES LOADED NO OUT JAM IN EXTRAS

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RAMIREZ HUSTLE DOWN THE LINE AVOID THE DP GETS THE RBI

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BIBEE FANS 9

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CONDENSED GAME

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Cleveland Guardians, Atlanta Braves lineups for April 28, 2024: Game 28

Updated: Apr. 28, 2024, 10:54 a.m.|Published: Apr. 28, 2024, 10:47 a.m.

By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com

ATLANTA -- Ben Lively will make his third start of the season on Sunday and for the first time he will not be facing the Boston Red Sox.

Lively’s first two starts have been against Boston. He pitched well both times, but has a loss and a no decision to show for it. He has allowed just three runs on eight hits in 11 1/3 innings. He’s struck out 14 -- seven per start -- and walked one.

The Guardians signed Lively as a free agent over the winter. He opened the year on the injured list because of viral infection that shut him down for several days and caused him to lose 15 pounds.

Game: 28.

Where: Truist Field, Sunday at 1:30 p.m.
Radio/TV: Bally Sports Great Lakes, WTAM, WMMS and the Guardians radio network will carry the game.
Teams: Guardians (19-8) vs. Braves (18-7).
Starting pitchers: RHP Ben Lively (0-1, 2.38) vs. RHP Bryce Elder (1-0, 0.00).

Lineups

Guardians

LF Steven Kwan.
2B Andres Gimenez.
3B Jose Ramirez.
1B Josh Naylor.
DH David Fry.
RF Will Brennan.
CF Tyler Freeman.
C Bo Naylor.
SS Brayan Rocchio.

Braves

RF Ronald Acuna Jr.
2B Ozzie Albies.
3B Austin Riley.
1B Matt Olson.
DH Marcel Ozuna.
SS Orlando Arcia.
CF Michael Harris II.
LF Jarred Kelenic.

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I agree Joe: Saturday night's game had everything: aggressive baserunning; steals, plays at the plate; great starting pitching; into and out of jams. And Jose and Josh delivered as they do regularly.

Atlanta sports (5) .300 hitters and (2) hitting over .250
Cleveland has (1) .300 hitter and (5) hitting over .250

Atlanta lineup has 22 homers
Cleveland lineup has 23 homers

Cleveland bottom 4 hitters
RF Will Brennan 235
CF Tyler Freeman 213
C Bo Naylor 194
SS Brayan Rocchio .197

Atlanta bottom 4 hitters
DH Marcel Ozuna 309
SS Orlando Arcia 324
CF Michael Harris II 309
LF Jarred Kelenic 261

Atlanta thrives on pitching and one of the best offensive team in the league.
Cleveland the intangibles (clutch hitting, no quit attitudes, defense, and good managing.)

Prediction: (Too close to call)

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Pretty much an identical line for Gaddis today as yesterday. We knew he would
n't be perfect all season.

Tito would not be happy: 4 guys thrown out stealing today; including both Kwan and Ramirez in the 10th.

only relievers left are Clase and Arias. Clase to work the 10th. He needs to think he's holding a lead; his record is way better than compared to tie games

Ummm Ummm Ummm!
We had this one in the bag.

I like the aggressiveness of this ball club.
Unfortunately, Atlanta is a smart as well as a great offensive team.
We played right into their hands.
They came prepared and ambushed us in that 10th inning.
They saw it coming and reacted.
We live to play another day.

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Wrong-way Guardians run themselves in 4-3 loss to Braves in 10 innings

Published: Apr. 28, 2024, 4:36 p.m.

ATLANTA -- If statements are made in late April, the Guardians were just about to make one before they ran themselves into defeat.

In a matchup between the teams with the two best records in baseball, the Guards forced the Braves into extra innings for the second straight game. But this time they fell apart in a 4-3 loss in10 innings at Truist Park.

Austin Riley won it for the Braves with a single through the middle to score Ronald Acuna Jr. with the game winner.

In the top of the 10th, Steven Kwan, the automatic runner on second base, tried to steal third and was an easy out. The thing that made it worse was Jose Ramirez was at the plate.

Ramirez followed with a bloop single to right that would have scored Kwan, but then he blacked out well. Ramirez tried to steal second and was throw out to end the inning.

The Guardians, in a terrible display of baserunning, were thrown out four times in seven stolen base attempts. Kwan was thrown out twice.

The Braves, trailing 3-1, tied the game with two runs in the eighth at the expense of Hunter Gaddis for the second straight game.

Acuna Jr. opened the inning with a single and then went to third on Gaddis’ errant pickoff attempt. Ozzie Albies doubled to right center to make it 2-1. Austin Riley moved Albies to third with a drive to the track in left center and Matt Olson tied the score with a bloop single into short right field with the infield pulled in.

Gaddis ended the inning by retiring Marcell Ozuna and Orlando Arcia on fly balls. Gaddis, charged with his second blown save in as many games, arrived in Atlanta with a scoreless inning streak of 15 1/3 innings dating back to last year.

The Guardians were clinging to a 2-1 lead when Steven Kwan singled home Brayan Rocchio with one out in the seventh for a 3-1 lead off lefty Aaron Bummer. Rocchio reached on a single and stole second for his second theft of the game.

The Guardians scratched out a 2-0 lead with runs in the third and fifth innings.

Atlanta’s Bryce Elder, facing Cleveland for the second time in his career, walked Bo Naylor and Rocchio to start the third. Kwan sent a tapper back to the mound to force Rocchio at second as Naylor went to third.

Andres Gimenez, who entered the game hitting .478 (11 for 23) with runners in scoring position, lined a single off Elder’s foot as Naylor scored. Elder flirted with more trouble by walking Jose Ramirez to load the bases with one.

The right-hander found an escape hatch by striking out Josh Naylor and retiring David Fry on a nice play by shortstop Arcia.

The Go-Go Guardians made it 2-0 with another hard-scrabble run in the fifth.

Rocchio opened the inning with a single after getting Saturday night off because of a 6 for 47 skid.

After Kwan flied out to left, Rocchio stole second and went to third on Elder’s wild pitch. Elder walked Gimenez to put runners on the corners before throwing his second wild pitch of the inning to score Rocchio as Gimenez stole second.

Once again Elder dodged a big inning as he retired Ramirez and Josh Naylor on grounders to second.

Atlanta broke through against Cleveland starter Ben Lively in the fifth. Jarred Kelenic, batting eighth in Atlanta’s stacked lineup, doubled with one out. No. 9 hitter Chadwick Tromp made it 2-1 with a single to left.

That’s when Cleveland’s bullpen started it’s day.

Nick Sandlin, who earned his first career save in the 11th inning of Saturday’s 4-2 win, relieved. He loaded the bases before striking out Austin Riley to end the inning.

Lively allowed one run on four hits in 4 1/3 innings. He struck out five and walked two.

Elder, who threw 6 2/3 scoreless innings in his only other start this season, allowed two runs on four hits in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out two and walked four.

Next:

The Guardians are off Monday before opening a three-game series against the Astros at Minute Maid Park. Bally Sports Greats Lakes, WTAM, WMMS and the Guardians radio network will carry the series.


OLSEN GAME TYING SINGLE

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ALBIES RBI DOUBLE

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BRAVES NAB 2 IN 10TH

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RILEY GAME WINNER

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CONDENSED GAME

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That was a very good series against a very good team. Too bad Gaddis couldn't hold onto the lead Sunday or Kwan hadn't got himself off the bases in the 10th

Gaddis slump continues. 3 blown saves in 3 nights is rather unsightly. But the losses aren't all his fault. I'm eager to have someone replacing Laureano on the roster. I'd like to see Bo hitting much better. Jose has his RBI total where we'd expect it but the rest of his offensive game is well below par.

Guardians go into extras for fourth straight game before beating Astros, 3-2

Updated: May. 01, 2024, 11:05 p.m.|Published: May. 01, 2024, 10:55 p.m.

By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com
HOUSTON -- Extra, extra, read all about it.

Triston McKenzie gave the Guardians the start they needed Wednesday night. He went seven innings, but it wasn’t nearly long enough as the Guardians went to extra innings for the fourth straight game before beating Houston, 3-2, in 10 innings at Minute Maid Park.

Steven Kwan doubled home Gabriel Arias, the automatic runner from second base, for a 3-2 lead in the 10th. Cleveland went on to load the bases with no outs, but could do no further damage as Jose Ramirez struck out and Josh Naylor grounded into a double play.

Emmanuel Clase pitched the 10th for the save, but part of it went to Kwan, who made a diving catch in left center against Mauricio Dubon and threw to second for the game-ending double play. Victor Caratini, the automatic runner, broke for home when the ball left Dubon’s bat.

Clase was pitching for the third straight game and the fourth in the last five days.

The Guards have tied a franchise record by playing four consecutive extra inning games. The last time they did it was in 1910 from May 1-5. Cleveland leads MLB this year with seven extra inning games.

McKenzie, in his best performance of the year, struck out six, walked one and allowed two runs. He also matched future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander pitch for pitch

Verlander, 41, entered the game with a 3-0 record against the Guards in his last three starts against them dating back to 2019. Overall, he’s started 56 games against the Guardians, the most against one team in his career. His record against Cleveland is 23-24 going back to his big league debut on July 4, 2005, with the Tigers.

The Guards put the leadoff hitter on base in three of the first four innings, but couldn’t create any real momentum against Verlander.

Will Brennan changed that with a leadoff homer in the fifth for a 1-0 lead. Brennan hit his fourth homer of the season, all against right-handers, off Verlander’s 2-0 fastball.

The Guardians pushed the lead to 2-0 when Brayan Rocchio worked Verlander for a two-out walk and scored from first on Kwan’s triple into the right field corner. For Kwan, who entered the game leading the AL in hits and runs, it was his second triple in as many games.

McKenzie, in his longest start of the season, carried the 2-0 lead into the sixth where he ran into some misfortune. Dubon doubled off third base with one out and scored on Jose Altuve’s two-strike single to make it 2-1. McKenzie retired the next two batters to end the inning.

He came out for the seventh, but it might have been too big an ask. Kyle Tucker hit McKenzie’s third pitch of the inning 422 feet into the right field seats to tie the score at 2.

Verlander held the Guardians to two runs on six hits. He struck out three and walked two in his third start since coming off the injured list because of a sore right shoulder.

On Sunday, pitching coach Carl Willis told reporters that McKenzie showed his best fastball of the season in his last start against Boston. McKenzie carried that fastball into Wednesday’s start. Fifty of his 90 pitches were fastballs, according to Baseball Savant, at an average velocity of 91.5 mph.

McKenzie was averaging just over 90 mph before Wednesday’s start.

Scott Barlow and the Guardians escaped serious trouble in the eighth when Dubon opened the inning with his second consecutive double past third. Altuve moved him to third on a grounder to third that Ramirez turned into an out with a strong throw to first.

Barlow retired Alex Bregman on a pop to second and lefty Tim Herrin relieved to face Yordan Alvarez. The Houston DH lined out to right field to strand Dubon and keep the score tied.

The Guardians missed some chances early against Verlander.

David Fry opened the second with a single off the left field wall, but was thrown out trying to advance to second on a nice throw by rookie left fielder Joey Loperfido.

Rocchio singled with one out in the third, but was caught on an attempted steal of second to end the inning.

Andres Gimenez and Ramirez started the fourth with consecutive walks, but Josh Naylor lined out to center on Verlander’s first pitch and Fry hit into a double play.

Next:

LHP Logan Allen (3-1, 5.46) vs. RHP Spencer Arrighetti (0-3, 10.97) at 8:10 p.m. on Thursday. Bally Sports Great Lakes, WTAM, WMMS and the Guardians radio networks will carry the game.


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KWAN GO AHEAD RBI DOUBLE

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BRENNAN HOMER

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KWAN'S DIVING GRAB DOUBLES UP THE BASERUNNER TO END THE GAME IN EXTRAS - MAN OF THE NIGHT WITH 3 HITS

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CONDENSED GAME

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That one was Kwan-tastic

He keeps hitting and playing that kind of defense, he'll be in the running for MVP.