In his second major league start, Gavin Williams delivered an outstanding performance, allowing only one hit over seven innings, as the Cleveland Guardians staged a late rally to defeat the Kansas City Royals 2-1 on Tuesday night.
The game remained scoreless until the eighth inning when the Royals broke the deadlock. Nicky Lopez hit a comebacker against Trevor Stephan, but a wild throw to the plate allowed pinch-runner Dairon Blanco to score.
However, the Guardians mounted a comeback in the ninth inning. Josh Naylor led off with a single against Royals closer Scott Barlow. Andrés Giménez drew a walk, and Will Brennan delivered a clutch two-run double into the right-field corner to give Cleveland the lead.
Emmanuel Clase overcame an error in the ninth to secure the victory, completing a two-hitter and earning his 24th save of the season.
Guardians manager Terry Francona was absent from the game due to illness, with bench coach DeMarlo Hale taking over managerial duties. Francona had experienced health issues in the past and was hospitalized overnight for observation after feeling unwell earlier in the day.
Gavin Williams, regarded as Cleveland’s top pitching prospect, rebounded impressively from his slightly shaky debut last week. He struck out six batters, walked one, and needed only 92 pitches to navigate seven innings. Williams faced his most challenging situation in the third inning but escaped by retiring Bobby Witt Jr. on a lineout with two runners on base.
Williams joined an elite group of pitchers in franchise history to have a one-hit outing of seven or more innings in their first two appearances.
The winning hit by Brennan was a highlight of the game, with the Kansas City-area native coming through in a crucial situation. Brennan acknowledged that it was a perfect scenario for a competitor to be in and expressed satisfaction with his performance. He finished the game with three hits.
Kansas City starter Brady Singer also delivered an impressive outing, allowing only four singles over six innings. He limited the Guardians to just two runners beyond first base. The young right-hander earned postgame praise from manager Matt Quatraro:
The Guardians have been involved in a league-leading 34 one-run games this season, winning 16 and losing 18.
With the loss, the Royals fell to 22-57, marking their worst record in franchise history at this point in the season. The team was also shut out for the 10th time.
In injury news, Royals catcher Salvador Perez was out of the lineup following an eye procedure on Monday.
Outfielder Kyle Isbel has been reinstated from the 10-day injured list after recovering from a Grade 2 left hamstring strain he suffered on May 4. Isbel returned to the lineup on Tuesday, playing center field and batting fifth for the Royals. During his rehab assignment with Triple-A Omaha, Isbel performed well, hitting .290 with two home runs in nine games. He will resume his role as the Royals’ primary center fielder, although Drew Waters will also see playing time at that position, according to manager Matt Quatraro.
Isbel expressed his frustration with the injury but is eager to contribute to the team now that he’s back. He mentioned that things were starting to click for him before the injury occurred and hopes to build off that momentum.
In a corresponding move, utility player Nate Eaton has been optioned to Triple-A Omaha. This is Eaton’s fourth option of the season, and teams are allowed to option a player up to five times in a season. If a player is optioned six or more times, they must be placed on waivers after each subsequent option.
The series between the Guardians and Royals will continue on Wednesday, with left-handed pitcher Logan Allen taking the mound for Cleveland. The Royals had not yet announced their starting pitcher for the game.
In St. Louis, Jordan Montgomery delivered an impressive performance, pitching into the seventh inning for his second consecutive win, as the St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Houston Astros 4-2 on Tuesday night.
Montgomery, a left-hander, set the tone for the game against the aggressive Astros lineup. St. Louis manager Oliver Marmol expressed his satisfaction with Montgomery’s outing, praising his ability to establish his sinker and impose his will on the opposing hitters.
In the return to action after splitting two games against the Chicago Cubs in London, the Cardinals got contributions from Paul DeJong, who hit a home run, and Nolan Arenado, who had two hits, including an RBI double.
The matchup between the Cardinals and Astros was their first since July 2019, when St. Louis dropped two out of three games against Houston.
Martin Maldonado provided a solo home run for the Astros, but they couldn’t overcome DeJong’s offensive production and Montgomery’s strong outing on the mound. Framber Valdez, the Astros’ starting pitcher, was charged with four runs and eight hits over six innings.
Houston manager Dusty Baker acknowledged the impact of DeJong and Montgomery on the game, noting that their performances hurt the Astros’ chances. He praised Montgomery’s ability to keep the ball down, induce double plays when needed, and limit his pitch count.
The Cardinals took the lead in the fifth inning with two additional runs. Arenado doubled home Paul Goldschmidt, advanced to third on a throwing error, and then scored on a wild pitch. Initially called out at the plate, Arenado’s run was overturned upon a successful replay challenge by the Cardinals.
Montgomery pitched 6 2/3 innings, allowing six hits before exiting with the bases loaded. Relief pitcher Giovanny Gallegos came in and retired pinch-hitter Bligh Madris on a fly ball to left to escape the jam in the seventh.
Closing pitcher Jordan Hicks sealed the victory for the Cardinals with a 1-2-3 ninth inning, earning his fifth save of the season.
The Astros managed to score an unearned run in the first inning, with Mauricio Dubón crossing the plate on a fielder’s choice. Maldonado added to the team’s offense with a solo home run in the third inning.
In other news, St. Louis rookie Jordan Walker extended his hitting streak to 16 games, which currently stands as the longest active hitting streak in the majors.
In terms of roster moves, the Cardinals returned catcher Iván Herrera to Triple-A Memphis after he served as the 27th player from the taxi squad.
Looking ahead, the Astros will send right-handed pitcher Cristian Javier to make his first career start against the Cardinals on Wednesday. For the Cardinals, right-handed pitcher Miles Mikolas will take the mound against the Astros for the first time since 2014 when he was with the Texas Rangers.
The MLB scoreboard for Tuesday, June 27, 2023:
Texas Rangers 8, Detroit Tigers 3
Pittsburgh Pirates 9, San Diego Padres 4
New York Mets 7, Milwaukee Brewers 2
Cleveland Guardians 2, Kansas City Royals 1
Philadelphia Phillies 5, Chicago Cubs 1
Los Angeles Angels 4, Chicago White Sox 2
Oakland Athletics 2, New York Yankees 1
Los Angeles Dodgers 5, Colorado Rockies 0
Cincinnati Reds 3, Baltimore Orioles 1
San Francisco Giants 3, Toronto Blue Jays 0
Miami Marlins 10, Boston Red Sox 1
Atlanta Braves 6, Minnesota Twins 2
St. Louis Cardinals 4, Houston Astros 2
Washington Nationals 7, Seattle Mariners 4 (11)
Arizona Diamondbacks 8, Tampa Bay Rays 4
