Guardians unable to overcome solo homers from ‘ultimate lineup’

CLEVELAND — With the Guardians sitting in an almost two-hour rain delay on Sunday, supervisor Terry Francona determined to make use of a number of the down time to start out scouting out the Braves’ lineup forward of the crew’s three-game collection. Not lengthy after, the reigning American League Supervisor of the Yr started to really feel sick to his abdomen.

“I began getting nauseous,” Francona joked previous to Monday’s collection opener. “My goodness. Not even the blokes on their lineup however the guys on their bench. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen numbers like that.”

These numbers got here to life on Monday evening at Progressive Discipline, because the Braves slugged three house runs in a 4-2 win within the series-opener of a vital collection between the 2 golf equipment.

“Sadly, the hits left the ballpark,” Francona mentioned after the sport. “That is most likely the last word lineup. … They’re fairly harmful.”

Whereas all three of the house runs got here towards starter Gavin Williamsthe rookie starter nonetheless held his personal in his 6 1/3 innings on the mound towards a roster in contrast to any in baseball.

And Francona was proper, the Braves have a roster in contrast to any in baseball. Six of the batters Williams confronted will head to Seattle for the All-Star Recreation subsequent week — three of whom are starters.

“It’s a fairly good lineup,” Williams mentioned. “I positively didn’t have my greatest stuff tonight. There have been some pitches I left over the center and it confirmed.”

Paradoxically, the 2 batters who gave Williams probably the most hassle have been two of the few non-All-Stars within the lineup. No. 9 hitter Michael Harris II cranked two solo photographs off Williams (the second multi-homer recreation of his profession), whereas Marcell Ozuna had a solo shot within the 4th inning.

Harris’ first house run was a 424-foot blast off a changeup that Williams left over the center of the plate, whereas his second was an opposite-field shot on a excessive fastball that was out of the strike zone.

“It was up however it was nonetheless in the midst of the plate. I nonetheless have to make a greater pitch there,” Williams mentioned.

Ozuna’s house run was additionally an opposite-field shot that he poked over the right-field fence.

The Guardians didn’t get a lot of a reprieve on the plate both, as they needed to face off towards Bryce Elder, one other All-Star who entered play on Monday with the second-best ERA within the Nationwide League at 2.44. After Elder cruised by way of the primary six innings, the Guardians’ offense lastly received to him within the sixth because of the underside of their order.

After Myles Straw received on-base with a one-out single and Steven Kwan hit a two-out double, Amed Rosario picked up a giant two-out, two-run single — his third straight recreation with a two-run single.

“He is aware of tips on how to pitch,” Francona mentioned of Elder. “On this period of fellows throwing 99 [mph]he throws 4 pitches and shoot I feel it was the fourth inning when he lastly received over 50% strikes, however he nonetheless saved us off the scoreboard simply because he modified speeds”

In complete, Straw, Kwan and Rosario accounted for seven of the Guardians’ eight hits, with Kwan main the best way with three the day after he had a break day resulting from a sore shoulder.

“I feel that was good for him, and that was the concept,” Francona mentioned concerning Kwan.

After struggling by way of June, each Straw and Rosario have turned it round as of late, with Rosario hitting .354 over his final 15 video games, whereas Straw is batting .321 over his final seven video games.

These offensive vibrant sports activities have been darkened a bit bit by a brand new harm, nevertheless, as Josh Naylor left the sport within the prime of the seventh inning with proper wrist soreness. Naylor was in seen ache after a swing within the backside of the sixth, however he stayed in to complete his at-bat earlier than being lifted for Gabriel Arias in the course of the half-inning break.

After the sport, Francona mentioned the harm is said to the wrist harm he sustained towards the Orioles on the finish of Could. Naylor will bear imaging Tuesday for the harm.

“He had been coping with that tendinitis after that slide in Baltimore however I assumed he had type of rid himself of that,” Francona mentioned. “You might inform he was hurting.”