CLEVELAND Oho (92.3 The Fan) – At long last, the Guardians are back to .500.
Aaron Civale struck out a season-high nine Royals and Josh bell slugged a two-run homer to lead Cleveland to a 3-0 win Friday night at Progressive Field.
“I mean that’s pretty good,” Guardians manager Terry Francona said. “Again, I think it’s easy for people to forget because he’d been hurt. We saw him pitch really well, but man, he’s come on the last couple times out. He’s commanding so well and his ball’s got life. He spins it. It’s fun to watch.”
Here’s our Final 9 from the second-fastest game played this season - one hour and 51 minutes - and the fastest nine-inning game played in Progressive Field history.
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1. Civale was dominant as he retired the side five times in order. The first 10 Royals were sat down quickly before Bobby Whit Jr. slapped a double to left in the top of the fourth. The only other hit allowed was another double by left fielder MJ Melendez in the fifth inning.
2. Civale departed after 7 shutout innings to earn his third win of the season. He threw 100 pitches, 70 for strikes.
3. The Guardians jumped out in front in the bottom of the first on Josh Naylor’s RBI single that scored Amed Rosario for a 1-0 lead. Naylor leads baseball with 20 go-ahead RBI this season, breaking a tie with teammate Jose Ramirez.
4. Unfortunately, what could’ve been a big inning fizzled quickly. Jose Ramirez, who walked, and Naylor both moved up to second and third after Royals starter Daniel Lynch was called for a balk. Naylor got caught trying to return to the bag as Bell’s ball bounced to Royals shortstop Bobby Whitt Jr. and Ramirez was eventually thrown out at home. “With certain runners we kind of explain to them or they know if they can read it, they can go,” Francona said. “It’s got to be somebody obviously that runs a little bit. Jose’s a good example. [Andres] Gimenez, he’s another guy, but Jose thought the pitcher had a chance, so once he stops he couldn’t get started again. Naylor thought he was going. I think we tried to explain Naylor, even if Jose’s going, we don’t want to run into an out third.”
5. Josh Bell followed Naylor’s second hit of the night in the bottom of the fourth with a two-run home run to the bleachers, his ninth of the season, to increase the Guardians’ advantage to 3-0. It was all the support Civale would need. “It was great,” Bell said. “It seems like for the most part, our starters have always given us a chance to win the ballgame. As good as our bullpen is, definitely takes the pressure off those guys if we can score early.”
6. Royals starter Daniel Lynch was charged with three earned runs on six hits in six innings as he suffered his fourth loss of 2023 for Kansas City. He walked one and struck out three.
7. Royals first baseman Nick Pratto was less than pleased with plate umpire Brennan Miller’s strike zone and he was asked to leave the premises in the top of the seventh by Miller after he was called out on strikes for the third time.
8. Emmanuel Clase earned his 25th save of the season. Prior to the game is was announced the All-Star closer would skip the festivities in Seattle so he could return home to tend to his pregnant significant other.
9. For the first time since April 28 when they were 13-13, the Guardians are finally back to .500 at 44-44. “It’s not our target,” Francona said. “I get it. What matters is where we are in the standings and where we’re going to end up in the standings. But hopefully this is a jumping off point more than anything.”