Game Recap 5/27/23 | Guardians Lose 2-1 vs Cardinals

Observations from the Game

3 things Guardians 4-3 victory over the Cardinals:

1 – Catcher woes continue

David Fry is the latest Cleveland catcher to have issues on defense.  Fry allowed the go-ahead runner, Brendan Donovan, to steal third and later scored on the passed ball by Fry.  The catcher defense lapses have killed the Guardians all year. Tonight is no different. 

2 – Bottom of the 8th

In the bottom of the 8th, the Guardians got a lead-off base hit from Jose Ramirez that turned into Ramirez on second because of an error by former Guardian Oscar Mercado.  Eventually, Ramirez gets to third on a wild pitch, and Josh Naylor walks to give Cleveland two men on with nobody out.  Promptly Josh Bell swings on the first pitch grounding out, followed by back-to-back strikeouts from Andres Gimenez and Myles Straw, ending the best chance the Guards had to win the game with a thud. 

3 – Bibee is good again

Tanner Bibee had another strong outing going six strong and only giving up two hits.  Enyel De Los Santos also looked great again tonight, and Sam Hentges was huge as well, getting out of a bases-loaded jam in the 7th.

Game Summary

In Saturday night’s game, Brendan Donovan played a crucial role in securing a 2-1 victory for the St. Louis Cardinals over the Cleveland Guardians. Donovan not only hit a home run in the second inning but also scored the winning run in the 10th inning due to a passed ball.

Entering the 10th inning as the automatic runner, Donovan showcased his speed by stealing third base. He ultimately crossed home plate when the Guardians’ third-string catcher, David Fry, mishandled a pitch from Nick Sandlin, allowing Oscar Mercado to score.

Although the Cardinals only managed two hits throughout the game against the Guardians’ pitchers, including starter Tanner Bibee and four relievers, they were able to capitalize on Donovan’s performance. Alec Burleson’s single in the third inning was their last hit of the game.

Ryan Helsley pitched 1 1/3 innings and secured the win (3-3), while Giovanny Gallegos recorded his sixth save with a scoreless 10th inning. Starting pitcher Jack Flaherty had an impressive outing, matching his longest start of the season with seven innings of one-run ball and four strikeouts.

Donovan’s home run in the second inning gave the Cardinals an early 1-0 lead. It was his second home run in four games and brought the Cardinals’ total to 41 home runs in the month, just four short of their franchise record set in May 2000.

The Guardians managed to tie the game in the third inning when José Ramírez hit a single, bringing home Steven Kwan, who had advanced on a wild pitch. Amed Rosario contributed with two doubles, while Josh Naylor and Ramírez each had two singles.

Cleveland, the defending AL Central champion, has played eight extra-inning games this season, tying with Toronto for the most in the majors. Since April 16, they have a record of 13 wins and 23 losses.

Tanner Bibee, in his sixth start in the big leagues, pitched six innings, allowing only one run on two hits while striking out a season-high nine batters. Although he had a victorious debut on April 26 against Colorado, he has not secured a win since then, accumulating one loss.

The Cardinals had a chance to break the tie in the seventh inning when they loaded the bases against the Guardians’ pitcher James Karinchak, who walked Nolan Arenado, Willson Contreras, and Donovan. However, Sam Hentges replaced Karinchak and retired the next three batters, preventing any runs from being scored.

In the eighth inning, Cleveland had an opportunity to take the lead after Ramírez singled and Naylor walked with no outs. However, the Cardinals’ relievers Andre Pallante and Ryan Helsley managed to escape the inning unscathed.

Nolan Gorman, the designated hitter for the Cardinals, went 0 for 4 in the game, ending his on-base streak at 17 games.

The paid attendance for the game was 32,224, the second-largest crowd of the season in Cleveland, falling just short of the opening day crowd of 34,821 against Seattle on April 7.

Up Next

Sunday 5/28 – Game 3 vs St. Louis Cardinals at 1:40 PM EST.