Game Recap 8/9/23 | Guardians Lose to the Blue Jays 1-0

Post-Game Live Recap

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3 Things About Guardians Loss to the Blue Jays

3 things about the Guardians 1-0 loss to the Blue Jays:

1 – Awesome Allen

Logan Allen went five innings while only giving up one run in a long at-bat to George Springer, ending in a solo home run in the top of the first. 

2 – Rookie Pitching 

In the series with Toronto, so far the Cleveland rookie starters Gavin Williams, Tanner Bibbe, and Allen have combined in 19 innings and one earned run with 21 strikeouts and an ERA of 0.47 (stat courtesy of @CLE_STATS).

3 – Base Running Issues

On Wednesday, the Guardians had issues on the basepaths as Kole Calhoun got caught stealing going to second base in the 4th, and Oscar Gonzalez got picked off on second base in the 7th inning. 

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Game Summary

In the opening inning, George Springer sent a home run soaring, and Kevin Gausman struck out six batters, combining for a six-hit masterpiece. This dynamic duo led the Toronto Blue Jays to a razor-thin 1-0 triumph over the Cleveland Guardians on Wednesday night.

Springer showcased his power by launching a 393-foot long shot to the left-center field on the 13th pitch of his intense battle against Logan Allen (5-5). The ecstatic Blue Jays supporters, who predominantly filled the lower section of Progressive Field, were treated to this thrilling spectacle.

Gausman (9-6), who shone as an All-Star representative for Toronto this season, masterfully controlled the game for seven innings. He conceded only four hits without yielding a walk and bolstered his position as the American League’s foremost strikeout leader with a total of 183. Following his outstanding performance, Erik Swanson, Tim Mayza, and Jordan Hicks took the mound, enabling Toronto to achieve its 12th shutout of the season – a feat that tied them for the highest count in the major leagues.

Hicks secured his 11th save by dispatching Oscar Gonzalez, the sole batter he faced, allowing the Blue Jays to maintain their firm grasp on the third and final American League wild-card position.

While the Cleveland Guardians struggled, Kole Calhoun managed to gather two hits amidst their downward spiral, as they suffered their ninth loss in twelve games. Cleveland’s offensive efforts only managed to advance two runners beyond second base, both instances occurring in the initial two innings against the skilled 32-year-old right-handed pitcher, Gausman.

On the opposing side, Allen contributed a five-inning effort, surrendering a solitary run on four hits in his seventeenth appearance at the big league level. He followed in the footsteps of rookies Gavin Williams and Tanner Bibee, the preceding starters for the Guardians in this series. Collectively, the trio managed to limit Toronto to just one run over a span of 19 innings. Despite their defensive prowess, Cleveland found themselves on the losing side, dropping two out of three games and enduring their twelfth shutout of the season.

Springer wasn’t content with just a home run; he also added two singles to his repertoire, maintaining an impressive .448 batting average (13 for 29) since breaking his career-long hitless streak of 35 at-bats on August 2nd. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. joined the offensive onslaught with two hits of his own, contributing to the Blue Jays’ cumulative count of eight hits, acquired from facing four different pitchers.

Guardians’ third baseman José Ramírez, in the midst of appealing his three-game suspension for a skirmish involving punches with White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson, struggled at the plate, going 0 for 4. Similarly, Anderson contested his six-game ban stemming from the bench-clearing altercation.

Trainers Corner

Cal Quantrill (right shoulder inflammation) surrendered six runs on six hits and two walks in 1 1/3 innings in the first outing of his rehab assignment with Triple-A Columbus at Toledo. Quantrill, who was on a 55-pitch limit, threw 54.

Up Next

Thursday 8/10 1:10 PM EST – Series Finale vs. Toronto Blue Jays