Game Recap 6/17/23 | Guardians Lose 6-3 at Diamondbacks

Observations from the Game

3 things about Guardians’ loss to Diamondbacks:

1 – Bieber HR issues

Cleveland starter Shane Bieber gave length which was a welcome sight, throwing 7 1/3 innings, but gave up three home runs including two in the bottom of the 8th to put the game away for Arizona.

2 – Straw and Gallagher

Hate to dispute the Guardians’ wonderful and loveable manager Terry Francona, but to see Myles Straw batting ahead of Will Brennan (Straw batting 7th with Brennan 8th) along with no David Fry or Bo Naylor for Cam Gallagher and his .138 batting average are head-scratching decisions.

Also, one has to wonder how much longer Cleveland is going to carry three catchers on the 26-man roster.

3 – Kwan/Rosario

The top of the order did produce tonight for the Guardians as both Steven Kwan and Amed Rosario went 4 for 5 getting eight of the nine hits for Cleveland on Saturday night.

Game Summary

In a Saturday night matchup, the Arizona Diamondbacks showcased their power-hitting prowess with an explosive eighth inning, securing a 6-3 victory over the Cleveland Guardians. Jake McCarthy kick-started the inning by smashing a go-ahead home run right from the first pitch, followed by Corbin Carroll’s two-run blast just three batters later. These back-to-back shots, along with another long ball, propelled the Diamondbacks to triumph.

The NL West leaders, surprising everyone with their performance, have now won the first two games of the series against the Guardians and have their sights set on a series sweep as they head into Sunday’s game.

McCarthy delivered a decisive blow against Shane Bieber, launching a slider over the right-center wall to take a 3-2 lead. Bieber, despite an otherwise impressive outing, couldn’t shake off the frustration after surrendering Carroll’s no-doubter. It was an unfortunate ending to the night for the Cleveland ace, who had dominated until facing the final few batters.

Bieber’s final line showed five runs conceded on seven hits over 7 1/3 innings, accompanied by two walks and five strikeouts.

Adding to the Diamondbacks’ offensive display, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. capped off the eighth inning with a solo home run off reliever Nick Sandlin.

Cleveland initially took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Andrés Giménez drew a bases-loaded walk. Giménez extended the Guardians’ advantage to 2-0 in the third with a powerful homer down the right-field line.

However, the Diamondbacks fought back in the fourth inning when Christian Walker connected for a two-run homer that barely cleared the right-field wall, marking his 14th home run of the season and tying the game.

On the mound, Diamondbacks left-hander Tommy Henry rebounded from two challenging starts, allowing two runs and seven hits over six innings. He exhibited improved control, issuing two walks while striking out three batters.

To close out the game, Scott McGough notched his third save, entering the contest with two runners on base. He yielded a sacrifice fly to José Ramírez with the bases loaded but promptly retired Josh Naylor on a game-ending ground ball.

Cleveland’s Steven Kwan and Amed Rosario, the top two hitters in their lineup, enjoyed an impressive night at the plate, each collecting four hits.

Up Next

Sunday 6/18 4:10 PM EST – Series Finale at Diamondbacks