It was a beautiful night in downtown Cleveland, as the Phillies and Guardians faced in each other in the first of a 3-game weekend series. 75 degrees at first pitch and a sold-out stadium.
Bryce Harper got the start at 1B, this was the first time in 15 months that Harper played defense. He made a nice diving catch into the camera bay on a ball hit by Amed Rosario.
The Phillies had gone 27-12 since June 3 but ran into a Cleveland team that took the lead early and never relinquished it.
The Guardians starter Gavin Williams , was making his sixth career start, and was shaky only going four innings and walking 4 while also striking out 3. The rookie only gave up 1 earned run on 5 hits.
Eli Morgan relieved Williams and struck out 3 and allowed 1 hit in 1.1 innings.
The lefty Tim Herrin relieved Morgan because the Phillies had 3 lefty’s in a row due up in the 5th inning. Herrin walked all 3 lefty’s.
Nick Sandlin came in but gave up 3 runs. Trevor Stephan, and closer Emmanuel Clase closed out the Phillies slamming the door allowing no runs.
The Phillies starter, left-hander, Ranger Suarez pitched 5 innings and gave up 4 runs on 8 hits. He walked 2 and struck out 5.
The Guardians started the scoring in the home-half of the 1st inning as José Ramírez hit an infield single then stole second base.
Josh Naylor then got an infield single. Josh Bell then hit a double to score Ramírez and David Fry followed with a single to score Naylor. After 1 the Guardians were up 2-0.
The Phillies would get a run back in the top of the 3rd when Bryce Harper singled scoring Trea Turner who tripled earlier that inning.
In the 4th inning Guardians starter Gavin Williams gave up a single and a walk but was bailed out by centerfielder Myles Straw who gunned down Alec Bohm. The Phillies would leave the bases loaded.
In the bottom of the 4th, Steven Kwan picked up his 32nd RBI of the season when he singles off Suarez.
David Fry led off the inning with a double hitting a rope of the left field wall. This made the score 3-1 Guardians.
In the bottom half of the 5th, David Fry got his second RBI of the night hitting into a fielder’s choice that scored José Ramírez. Guardians extended their lead to 4-1 off Phillies starter Ranger Suarez who threw 94 pitches through 5 innings.
The top of the 6th was a walkfest for Philadelphia as they scored a run when Kyle Schwarber walked. He was the third walk in a row off Guardians lefty Tim Herrin. Nick Sandlin came in to relieve Herrin and put out the fire getting a strikeout and fly out. The Phillies only get 1 run and trail 4-2.
In the bottom of the 6th, Steven Kwan got his 25th double of the season putting Myles Straw at 3rd who reached base with a single. Amed Rosario then singled scoring Straw. The next batter Josh Naylor hit an infield single scoring Kwan. The Guardians scored 2 more and extended the lead to 6-2.
The Phillies wasted no time getting back into the game in the top of the 7th with back-to-back home runs off pitcher Nick Sandlin. J.T. Realmuto hit a 2-run HR followed by 2B Bryson Stott’s solo jack. Phillies were only down 6-5 after 7.
The game had no more runs, ending in a final of 6-5, and the Guardians improved to 48-49. The Phillies fall to 52-45.
The two teams play Saturday as it is fireworks night in Cleveland.
-Ed in Columbus
*Photo courtesy of Cleveland Guardians Twitter*
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