CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – It was bound to happen, particularly only 12-hours after an emotional and mentally draining 15-inning marathon that ended earlier that morning.
Cleveland’s bats fell asleep Sunday afternoon, only mustering three hits against Joe Ryan and the Twins, snapping an 8-game winning streak over Minnesota in a 3-0 shutout at Progressive Field.
Players were permitted to arrive as late as 11:30 Sunday morning in order to get as much rest as possible after Saturday night’s marathon.
Ryan was brilliant for Minnesota going 7.2 IP and scattering three hits while striking out five. Ryan has been a thorn in Cleveland’s side and appears to be coming into his own as a starting pitcher in the Big Leagues.
“I hope not. But probably,” said Guardians manager Terry Francona. “He established his fastball and then off that, he spun to breaking ball really effectively. He's a pretty good pitcher. I know. He's young. He's a pretty good pitcher.”
Rookie Cody Morris continued to show improvement in his 4th career Major League start. Morris has good stuff, but he struggles at times with his command. He averages a strikeout an inning, but he also a walk per inning pitched.
On Sunday he looked solid striking out six batters and not issuing a free pass until the 6th inning. He has a fastball that can top out in the 98 MPH range but kept batters off balance with his changeup most of the afternoon.
“I thought I pitched a lot better today and it's definitely something to work with,” Morris said. “I've always known my stuff can work.
It's just about executing that. And I felt like today I executed a lot better.”
Sunday marked his longest major league outing after never going more than 4 innings or throwing more than 75 pitches. He gave Cleveland everything they could’ve hoped for in a 6 inning 81-pitch outing.
“(I’m) figuring stuff out, throwing more changeups, being confident with it, throwing a lot more cutter. I threw some good curveballs today,” Morris said. “Just pitching backwards, a little bit better and trying to figure stuff out.”
Jake Cave hit a solo home run to left field to touch up Morris for his only run. Aside from a 14-pitch at-bat with Luis Arraez to start the game that ended in a single to center field, he was largely unmatched.
“I was just like, ‘get out or put something in play at that point,’” Morris said of his battle with Arraez. “Then he ended up getting the single to right.
Those at-bats are tough.
The rookie got some help from his defense, particularly in the opening frame. Richie Palacios gunned down Arraez, who was trying to tag and score on a flyball out by Gio Urshela. Tyler Freeman also made a brilliant throw in the hole behind third base in the 6th inning.
“He’s filled up the strike zone better each time out,” Fracona said. “His changeup was effective. As he gets more consistency with that curve. That's certainly going to help.”
Carlos Correa went 3-for-5 with three singles and Luis Arraez smacked a two-out, two run single to give the Twins some breathing room in the 9th.
NOTES – Francona said that starting pitcher Zach Plesac, who has been on the Injured List since September 2nd with a broken hand, will either pitch in a simulated game or make an appearance in Triple A Columbus on Tuesday.
Plesac will also pitch Saturday in an effort to get more stretched out and ready to resume his role in the rotation.
