After that weekend in Texas, the Guardians needed a game when the offense went off and it happened on Monday night in Pittsburgh. The Guardians flexed its muscles with three home runs, all 2-run shots, from Amed Rosario, Andres Gimenez, and Josh Naylor.
Add five doubles two for J-RAM and both of Ramirez’s doubles nearly went out hitting the wall, Bo and Josh Naylor, and Myles Straw all hitting doubles.
The Guardians bullpen was walloped by the Ranger’s offense over the weekend, but the relief arms came through on Monday night. Xzavion Curry leads the way with three shutout innings setting the tone. A total of seven pitchers made an appearance giving up only four hits in the shutout.
In Monday night’s game, the Cleveland Guardians dominated the Pittsburgh Pirates with a resounding 11-0 victory, putting an end to their four-game losing streak. Josh Naylor played a crucial role in this triumph, contributing three RBIs, including a home run and a double.
Naylor’s hitting streak reached eight games when he smashed an RBI double in the sixth inning, extending Cleveland’s lead to 5-0. He continued his impressive performance in the seventh inning by launching a Yohan Ramirez sinker over the left-field wall, widening the Guardians’ lead to nine runs. This home run was one of three two-run homers hit by Cleveland in the game.
In the eighth inning, Steven Kwan added to the offensive onslaught with an RBI single, while Myles Straw contributed a run-scoring infield single in the ninth. These additional runs were significant, considering that Cleveland had only scored a total of 10 runs during their previous four losses.
Pitcher Michael Kelly, in his first major league win, played a pivotal role in the game. He struck out two batters and allowed only two hits in 1 2/3 innings. Xzavion Curry also delivered an impressive performance, giving up just one hit and one walk in three innings.
On the Pirates’ side, Quinn Priester, their fourth-ranked prospect, made his major league debut but struggled against the Guardians’ offense. Priester allowed seven runs and seven hits over 5 1/3 innings. Catcher Endy Rodríguez, ranked third in the Pirates’ system, also made his debut but had a tough game, going 0 for 4 with three strikeouts.
Pittsburgh’s loss to Cleveland marked their fourth consecutive defeat and their eighth loss in nine games. Their overall record stands at 41-53, a season-low 12 games below .500 after a promising 20-8 start to the season.
After a rain delay lasting 47 minutes, Priester initially had a strong performance, allowing only one hit in the first four innings. However, Amed Rosario hit a two-run homer in the fourth inning, and Bo Naylor’s double in the fifth extended the Guardians’ lead to 3-0. In the sixth inning, José Ramírez hit an RBI double ahead of Naylor’s double, contributing to a four-run inning. Finally, Andrés Giménez added a two-run homer, further solidifying Cleveland’s dominance in the game.
Tuesday 7/18 7:05 PM EST – Game 2 of 3 at Pittsburgh Pirates
If you're a fan of Cleveland sports and want to stay up-to-date with the latest news, scores, and insights on your favorite teams, signing up for the Cleveland sports newsletter is a no-brainer.
Leave a Reply