Jones average up to .184

Allen takes over the staff ACE role for the moment. Another dominant performance.

Here we go again.

Getting so I can't trust Clase with 10 run lead.

He's losing/lost his edge.

It's all tied up.

Guards win in 10.

Guardians hang on to beat Pirates, 5-4, in 10 innings despite Emmanuel Clase’s blown save

Updated: Apr. 20, 2025, 5:06 p.m.|Published: Apr. 20, 2025, 4:35 p.m.

By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com

PITTSBURGH — What are the Guardians going to do with closer Emmanuel Clase?

Clase turned a 4-1 lead into a 4-4 tie in the ninth inning Sunday against the Pirates. The Guardians still managed to pull out a 5-4 win on Kyle Manzardo’s sacrifice fly in the 10th inning that scored automatic runner Jhonkensy Noel after Jose Ramirez had moved him to third with a groundout.

The victory completed a three-game sweep for the Guardians and gave them a 4-2 record on this trip through Baltimore and the Steel City.

After saving the first two games of the series, Clase walked Emmanuel Valdez to start the ninth. Tommy Pham followed with double, and Adam Frazier brought them home with a double past third to make it 4-3.

Clase retired Isiah Kiner-Falefa on a fly ball to left, but Frazier stole third and scored on Ke’Bryan Hayes’ single to tie the score at 4-4.

Clase finally ended the inning by getting Andrew McCutchen to ground into a double play.

Joey Cantillo pitched the 10th for his first save of the season. Clase backed into the victory.

Until the ninth, the game had gone the Guardians way. Manzardo’s two-run homer in the seventh gave the Guardians a 4-1 lead..

It was Manzardo’s team-high sixth homer, four of which have come against lefties. He finished with three RBI on Sunday.

Kwan struck earlier, giving the Guardians a 2-0 lead in the third with his second homer of the trip and fourth of the season. Last year when Kwan hit a career-high 14 homers, he didn’t hit No. 4 until June 8.

Guardians shortstop Brayan Rocchio, batting ninth, started the inning with a single to right. Kwan ambushed Pittsburgh starter Mitch Keller’s first-pitch sinker and sent it into the right field bleachers.

Kwan has been experimenting with a torpedo bat on this trip as opposed to the hockey-puck handled bat he’s used since 2022. His first homer on the trip came on Tuesday against the Orioles at Camden Yards.

The Guardians missed a great chance to extend the lead in the sixth.

Carlos Santana drew a leadoff walk against Keller. Gabriel Arias doubled off the right field wall to send Santana to third. Santana hesitated for a moment on his way to second because he thought right fielder Bryan Reynolds was going to catch the ball, but he still made it to third.

Angel Martinez sent a grounder to first baseman Jared Triolo, who threw to third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes to catch Santana in a rundown as he tried to score on contact. Santana stayed in the rundown long enough to get Arias to third and Martinez to second.

Austin Hedges followed with another grounder to Triolo, who threw home to get Arias on a close play at the plate.

The inning ended when Rocchio sent a liner to center that Alexander Canario turned into the third out with a sprawling catch.

The Pirates made is 2-1 in the sixth on Andrew McCutchen’s double past third base. Reynolds, who had reached on a one-out single, scored from first. Cleveland starter Logan Allen raised the tension by walking Joey Bart to bring right-hander Paul Sewald into the game to face pinch-hitter Emmanuel Valdez.

Sewald’s first act of the inning was to make an errant pickoff attempt of McCutchen at second. McCutchen and Bart advanced a base. Sewald preserved the lead, however, by striking out Valdez.

Hunter Gaddis, Jakob Junis, Clase and Cantillo closed the game for Cleveland.

Allen allowed one run on five hits in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out five and walked one.

In his last three starts, Allen has allowed one earned run in 21 innings. He is 2-0 in his career against the Pirates, allowed one earned run in 10 2/3 innings.

Keller allowed two runs on five hits in five innings. He’s 0-3 in his career against Cleveland.

Next

The Guardians open a three-game series against the Yankees on Monday night at Progressive Field. RHP Gavin Williams (1-1, 4.58) will face the Yankees and right-hander Clarke Schmidt (0-0, 4.76) at 6:10 p.m. EDT.

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Tigers took 2 out of 3 in their series. It would be really nice if the Guardians can take 2 out of 3 at home.

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Manzardo's 6th homer; and 3 rbi make 16.
Kwan 4th homer gives him 14
Jones single
Arias double
Allen 5 2/3 1 run. ERA 2.11
Sewald Gaddis and Junis get the job done. Junis took only 11 pitches in the 8th and would have been a good choice to return for the 9th
Clase let in 3 runs on a walk and 4 hits and was given the win when CLE tallied in the 10th. The official scorer and has some discretion and got that one wrong
Cantilloearned the save

CONDENSED GAME SUNDAY PIRATES GUARDIANS X INNINGS

https://www.mlb.com/video/condensed-gam ... nsed-games

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Guardians play power ball with Yankees and come away with a 6-4 victory

Updated: Apr. 21, 2025, 10:14 p.m.|Published: Apr. 21, 2025, 8:56 p.m.

By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Guardians haven’t spent a lot of time in the winner’s circle when it comes to playing the Yankees over the last several years.

They went 3-8 against them last year, including losing the American League Championship Series in five games in October. When this season opened, they stood 8-20 against New York since 2022.

So a victory like Cleveland’s 6-4 win Monday night at Progressive Field should not only be appreciated, but also celebrated. They just don’t happen that often.

Gavin Williams allowed two runs over 6 1/3 innings and José Ramírez and Kyle Manzardo hit consecutive homers as the Guardians won for the 10th time in the last 13 games.

In an era of five-and-fly starts, Williams (2-1, 4.15) has reached the seventh inning in his last two starts. He struck out eight and held the Yankees’ powerful offense scoreless until Jasson Dominguez hit a two-run homer in the seventh.

“Honestly, it was very important for me to reach the seventh inning,” said Williams. “We’ve played seven games in a row. I know the bullpen is thin out there. They’re feeling it.

“They throw every day. I throw once every five days. Trying to help them out is a big thing.”

Said manager Stephen Vogt, “Gavin stepped up on a night we had to have him step up. We were really, really light in the bullpen. Gavin did his job and more to get us into the seventh.

“It was a beautifully thrown game by Gavin. We’ve been waiting for that one.”

The Guardians used power and speed to take a 5-0 lead against Yankees right-hander Clarke Schmidt (0-1, 7.45) who was making his second start after opening the season on the injured list with a sore right shoulder.

Ramírez and Manzardo hit consecutive homers in the third for a 4-0 lead. Ramírez’s fifth homer, a three-run drive into the right field seats, followed singles by Brayan Rocchio and Steven Kwan for a 3-0 lead.

It was the 668th extra base hit in Ramirez’s career as he passed Hall of Famer Tris Speaker to move into second place in franchise history.

“It’s hard to be great, let alone be great consistently year after year,” said Vogt. “Everytime you guys tell me Jose did this, it’s, ‘Of course he did.’”

Manzardo followed with his seventh homer, and third in as many games, to make it 4-0. The last Cleveland player to homer in three straight games was Ramírez from July 29 through Aug. 1.

“I hit three home runs in three games a couple of times in the minors,” said Manzardo. “I didn’t really hit home runs until I signed professionally. That’s when I leanred how to pull the ball in the air.”

The Guardians made it 5-0 in the fourth, but they left runs on the table.

Angel Martinez opened the inning with a double and alertly went to third after Bo Naylor sent a grounder to third for the first out of the inning.

Rocchio’s second straight hit, a broken-bat single to right, scored Martinez. When Kwan pushed Rocchio to third with a double, and Nolan Jones walked to load the bases, the game was about to become a blowout.

But Schmidt retired Ramírez and Manzardo to end the threat.

Cleveland made it 6-0 on Ramírez’s single in the sixth. Kwan, who had reached on a force out, scored after stealing second base. It was Ramírez’s fourth RBI of the night, giving him 39 in his career against New York.

Williams, knocked around by the Yankees in the regular season and postseason last year, held one of baseball’s top offenses scoreless through six innings. He did it with the help of three double plays and by avoiding the big hit.

Yankees leadoff hitter Austin Wells opened the game by reaching first on Rocchio’s error at short. Williams complicated matters by walking Aaron Judge, who entered the game leading the big leagues with a .390 batting average and 25 RBI.

Cody Bellinger, however, grounded into a 5-6-3 double play to get Williams off the hot seat. He also induced double plays in the fourth and fifth innings.

“The double plays helped big time,” said Williams. “Gabby (Arias), Rocchio and Jose are amazing. They’re one of the best infields. I appreciate everything they do.”

The Yankees entered the game leading the big leagues in home runs, and they played true to form.

After Dominguez’s homer cut Cleveland’s lead to 6-2, Jazz Chisholm Jr. added a two-run homer in the eighth to make it 6-4.

Paul Sewald, who relieved Williams in the seventh, retired the first two men he faced in the eighth before Paul Goldschmidt bounced a single off third base. Chisholm followed with his seventh homer of the season. He hit an 0-2 pitch into the right field seats.

Joey Cantillo relieved to get the last out of the eighth.

Cade Smith, with Emmanuel Clase unavailable after pitching three days in a row against Pittsburgh over the weekend, handled the ninth for the second save of his career.

Smith ended the game by striking out Judge, who represented the tying run after Oswaldo Cabrera had reached on a one-out single. Smith’s last save was May 22 against the Mets.

“There’s a difference between fearing a hitter and respecting a hitter,” said Smith. “Everyone knows what he’s capable of. You have to approach it smartly.

“You want to make sure that your misses (pitches out of the zone) are safe. I think that’s a good way to put it.”

Next

Guardians vs. Yankees on Tuesday at 6:10 p.m. CLE.Guardians.TV, WTAM, WMMS and the Guardians radio network will carry the game. RHP Tanner Bibee (1-2, 5.85) vs. RHP Will Warren (1-0, 5.17).

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CONDENSED GAME

https://www.mlb.com/video/condensed-gam ... nsed-games

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Clase will be back on duty tonight. The Yankees made it tough for him last fall. We'll see how it goes.

Guardians introduce Yankees to Guards Ball and a ‘new’ closer in wild 3-2 win

Updated: Apr. 22, 2025, 10:25 p.m.|Published: Apr. 22, 2025, 8:47 p.m.

By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Guardians beat the Yankees at their own game on Monday as they matched them home run for home run.

Tuesday night they beat New York, 3-2, with their own brand of baseball. Call it Guards Ball if you will.

In a wild sixth inning, they scored three runs on a double steal, wild pitch, RBI double and a slew of infield hits. Then they unveiled a new closer in Cade Smith to seal the victory with a four-pitch save in the ninth.

It was Smith’s second save in as many days against the Yankees as he filled in for struggling closer Emmanuel Clase. Manager Stephen Vogt said after the game that Clase had his second straight off day Wednesday after throwing 30 pitches Sunday against the Pirates.

The Guardians have won five straight and 11 of their last 14 games. Tuesday’s victory moved them into first place in the AL Central, a half-game ahead of Detroit.

Vogt credited starter Tanner Bibee with a “gritty effort.”

“He was at 84 pitches after four innings, but got through six on a night when we needed him to give us six,” said Vogt. “Then boys responded and caused chaos.”

Yankee starter Will Warren, who befuddled the Guardians for five innings, started the sixth with a 2-0 lead. He was greeted by consecutive singles by Steven Kwan and Nolan Jones to put runners at first and second.

Mark Leiter Jr. (2-2) relieved and struck out Jose Ramirez to bring Kyle Manzardo to the plate. With Manzardo batting, Kwan and Jones worked a double steal. Kwan never slowed as he hit third and continued home on Leiter’s wild pitch, which was originally ruled a passed ball but changed after the game.

“That’s Guards Ball,” said Manzardo. “I saw the curveball coming out of the pitcher’s hand, but I didn’t swing because I was going to let those guys get their bags.

“Kwan never stopped.”

Said Vogt, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen Kwan run that fast.”

Manzardo, after Jones took third on the wild pitch, doubled to right to score Jones and tie the game 2-2. Carlos Santana’s ground out moved Manzardo to third and Bo Naylor kept the inning going with a walk.

Angel Martinez followed with bouncer up the middle that deflected off shortstop Anthony’s Volpe chest as Manzardo scored for a 3-2 lead. Daniel Schneemann added an infield hit over the mound to load the bases, but Tim Hill relieved to retire Brayan Rocchio on a fly ball to the track in right field.

Cleveland’s taxed bullpen did the rest. Tim Herrin pitched a scoreless seventh and Hunter Gaddis pitched around a ball-four pitch clock violation with two out in the eighth. Then came Smith with a four-pitch save as he retired Jasson Dominguez, Austin Wells and Oswaldo Cabrera on fly balls.

“We’re super thin in the bullpen,” said Vogt. “Originally, the plan was not to go to Cade, but the way the game went we needed to use him. We had Clase down again today after throwing 30 pitches on Sunday because we wanted to give him two days. The boys stepped up. That’s what good bullpens do.”

Vogt was asked if the media should read anything into Smith earning saves the last two nights instead of Clase. He said, “No, not at all.”

It should be noted that Smith has pitched four times in the last five days.

Bibee’s early-season problems with the home run gave the Yankees a quick 1-0 lead.

Ben Rice hit Bibee’s first pitch of the night into the left field bleachers for a 1-0 lead. It was the eighth homer Bibee has allowed this year, tied for the most in the big leagues.

Rice ambushed Bibee’s 96 mph fastball for his sixth homer of the season.

Bibee (2-2, 5.19) was not efficient with his pitches in the early going.

Six batters into the game, he was at 30 pitches. He was at 60 pitches at the end of the third with the Yankees still leading, 1-0.

By the end of the fourth, Bibee was at 84 pitches, but he kept the Yankees at bay. Paul Goldschmidt and Jazz Chisholm Jr. walked to start the inning. But Volpe hit into a 6-4-3 double play and Bibee struck out Dominguez to keep the game at 1-0.

“I haven’t see the numbers, but the Yankees had over 20 foul balls off him,” said Vogt. “They made him work. He made pitches all night.

“That’s as good as we’ve seen his stuff this year. ”

Warren, making his first start against Cleveland, was at 68 pitches through four innings.

Kwan opened the first with a bloop single to right, but was forced at second by Jones’ grounder. Ramirez forced Jones, but tried to pressure Warren by stealing second base. It didn’t work as Manzardo struck out.

Naylor reached first on Chisholm’s throwing error from second. Naylor stole second with one out. He moved to third on a ground out by Martinez and Schneemann followed with a walk.

The inning ended when Rocchio grounded into a force out at second.

The Yankees made it 2-0 in the sixth on Chisholm’s sacrifice fly.

Bibee started the inning at 90 pitches after a six-pitch fifth. Aaron Judge, who went 4 for 4 and is hitting .411, greeted him with a double to left for his third hit of the game. After Cody Bellinger grounded out, Goldschmidt reached on an infield single off Ramirez’s glove behind third.

Ramirez saved a run by knocking the ball down as Judge stopped a third. But Chisholm delivered Judge with a fly ball to center.

Bibee allowed two runs on five hits. He struck out five and walked three on 106 pitches, including 70 (66%) for strikes.

Warren allowed two runs on three hits in five innings. He struck out five and walked one.

The Guardians ended the game with a season-high four stolen bases.

Next

RHP Luis Ortiz (2-2, 5.48) vs. LHP Carlos Rodon (2-3, 4.34) Wednesday at 1:10 p.m. CLEGuardians.TV, WTAM/1100, WARF and the Guardians radio network will carry the game.

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CONDENSED GAME

https://www.mlb.com/video/condensed-gam ... nsed-games

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Nice game. Kwan hustle. Manzardo key hit. Bibee gutted it out. the 3 kids lock the door in the 7th 8th and 9th climaxed by a 4 pitch save by Cade!

Guardians’ All-Star closer dealing with shoulder discomfort, availability unclear

Updated: Apr. 23, 2025, 2:37 p.m.|Published: Apr. 23, 2025, 12:10 p.m.

By Joe Noga, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Following Tuesday’s comeback win against the Yankees that saw Cade Smith step in for All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase for the second straight night, Guardians manager Stephen Vogt was asked whether or not Clase was healthy.

An All-MLB first-team performer and American League Cy Young finalist in 2024, Clase had appeared in three consecutive games, throwing 30 pitches and suffering his second blown save of the season on Sunday in Pittsburgh, and Vogt said after Tuesday’s game that the club wanted to give him two days off.

Asked whether or not reporters should read anything into Smith saving two straight for Cleveland, Vogt responded: “No, not at all.”

On Wednesday, however, Vogt revealed that his bullpen is again running thin ahead of the series finale against New York. Clase, he said, has been dealing with right shoulder discomfort since his appearance Sunday.

The right-hander’s availability for Wednesday’s game would be determined after he was set to play catch in the outfield prior to game time. The Guardians have an off day scheduled Thursday before opening a weekend series against the Red Sox as part of a stretch that includes 13 games in 13 days.

“He’s going to go play catch today, so we will know his availability around game time,” Vogt said. “But on top of that we do have enough (in the bullpen), but we we’re still thin.”

Clase’s struggles this season have become evident through his first 11 outings. He has allowed nearly as many runs (9) in 10 1/3 innings as he did all of last year (10) in 74 1/3 innings. His hard-hit percentage has skyrocketed to 40%, up more than 11% from last season and his barrel percentage has more than doubled to 7.4% according to Statcast.

His struggles in the 2024 postseason and in particular against the Yankees are also well documented. Clase blew a save against the Tigers when he gave up a three-run home run to Kerry Carpenter in Game 2 of the AL Division Series and served up back-to-back home runs against Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton in Game 3 of the AL Championship Series.

Clase allowed two runs in the ninth inning of ALCS Game 4 and finished with a 15.43 ERA in three outings against the Yankees. Last week, he told reporters that despite the gaudy numbers he posted in 2024, which included a 0.62 ERA and .154 opponent batting average for the season, he is not a machine.

“A couple of days ago I was thinking, ‘Hey, I am human,’” Cleveland’s All-Star closer said Saturday through interpreter Agustin Rivero. “I can make mistakes.”

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