CLEVELAND — Progressive Field was rocking in the ninth inning on Friday night, after a successful Guardians challenge overturned Travis Bazzana’s foul ball into a hit-by-pitch. Suddenly, Cleveland had the bases loaded with two outs, trailing the Royals by three runs.
The buzz enveloping the ballpark grew when rookie Angel Genao stepped to the plate to pinch-hit for catcher Patrick Bailey. But a dramatic comeback was not in store, as Genao grounded out softly to pitcher Steven Cruz.
The Guardians’ season-high-tying seven-game winning streak was snapped with a 3-0 loss in the series opener. Cleveland (68-67) now sits 3 1/2 games back of the American League Central-leading White Sox (71-63), though it maintained a two-game lead on the Rangers (66-69) for the final AL Wild Card spot.
“The first loss after seven straight wins … it feels a little down. But we’re ready to bounce back [Saturday],” Bazzana said. “We feel like we’re in a good spot to go win ballgames.”
Here are three things that stood out Friday.
The Guardians have had extended offensive struggles this season, but they’ve been much more formidable in August — during which Trade Deadline acquisitions Jo Adell and Nathaniel Lowe have helped lengthen the lineup. They entered Friday tied with the D-backs for 10th in runs scored this month (110). Cleveland ranked 12th in OPS (.728).
The Guardians scored 44 runs during their winning streak. Royals starter Michael Wacha flipped the script on Friday. He allowed four hits and struck out 10 batters over eight scoreless innings.
Bazzana said Wacha didn’t throw much over the heart of the plate with a mix including a four-seam fastball, cutter, changeup, curveball and slider. He noted Wacha was also effectively changing speeds with his cutter, which averaged 94.7 mph (up from its season average of 93 mph). Three of Wacha’s strikeouts came with that pitch.
“He threw like the veteran he is,” Bazzana said. “[With] the career he’s had, he threw what you expected him at his best. It was impressive. Obviously, we want to put up more than zero. It’s a tough one to swallow losing [3-0]. He was very good today.”
2. Another tough-luck loss for Bibee
Tanner Bibee tossed his 17th quality start this season, which ranks second in the AL behind Wacha (18). He allowed one run over six innings by scattering seven hits and two walks, and he struck out five batters. Bibee nonetheless picked up his 14th loss this season, tying the Orioles’ Shane Baz for the MLB lead.
Yes, the value of pitcher wins can be debated. What isn’t debatable is Bibee’s uncanny season-long lack of run support has reached an absurd level. Friday marked the eighth time this season he received zero runs of support.
The Guardians have gone 8-20 in Bibee’s 28 starts. Since 1994, he and Corey Kluber are the only Cleveland starters with 20 or more team losses in a single season. The club went 11-21 in Kluber’s starts in 2015.
“My job is to go out there and keep the team in the game,” Bibee said. “My job is very separate from what [the offense is doing].”
Bibee and the Guardians have made that point time and time again this season. There’s not much more you can say. Even on a night he wasn’t his best early, he kept Cleveland in the game. The Royals had six baserunners over the first three innings, but Bibee kept them off the board.
Kansas City’s lone run off Bibee came in the fifth. Bobby Witt Jr. hit a leadoff double, advanced to third on a Jac Caglianone flyout to center fielder Petey Halpin and scored on a Salvador Perez ground ball to shortstop Brayan Rocchio.
3. A rare slipup for the bullpen
We can point to several areas that keyed the Guardians’ win streak, including their bullpen’s stellar performance. Cleveland had a 0.92 relief ERA during that run. It allowed three runs on 14 hits, eight walks and five hit batters with 34 strikeouts over 29 1/3 innings.
Friday was largely a similar performance. Tim Herrin tossed a 1-2-3 seventh inning and Craig Yoho followed suit in the eighth. Yoho allowed a leadoff double to Isaac Collins in the ninth, but he was on the verge of getting out of the inning unscathed. He surrendered a two-out, two-run home run to Carter Jensen on a 1-2 cutter up and inside.
“He was a couple of inches away from getting out of that thing with no runs,” manager Stephen Vogt said. “Outstanding job by [Herrin and Yoho]. Just unfortunate to have the one pitch go over the fence. We pitched excellent tonight.”