CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – Bo Naylor delivered in a pinch.
The Guardians won another series.
Bo Naylor’s pinch hit three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning held up as the Guardians rallied from a 3-0 deficit to beat the Giants 5-4 Sunday afternoon at Progressive Field.
Here’s the top news and notes from the homestand finale with the Giants.
Bo-bomb – Bo Naylor’s three run homer came with two outs in the bottom of the sixth and gave the Guardians a 5-3 lead. “I'm sure Bo would be the first one to tell you he's not pleased or satisfied with the year he is having offensively,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “But he's made such huge strides the last three, four weeks now being willing to make an adjustment in season and to stay ready. The guys know by now we use the bench, guys got to be ready and he was so prepared for that at-bat. I mean, 0-2 battle, to end up doing that, credit goes to him.” The towering shot to right was his fifth of the season and first career pinch hit home run. “It is just being ready, trying to swing at good pitches and making sure that you understand the situation you're a part of, who you're facing,” Bo Naylor said. “Just those little things and yeah, trying to get it done. I've been fortunate enough to get it done the last couple of times, so I'm very grateful for that.” It was the fourth pinch hit blast by a Guardian this season.
Cookie – Carlos Carrasco allowed three runs on six hits with a walk and four strikeouts in five innings Sunday. “I thought he was good,” Vogt said. “They made him work. They had some really good at-bats off him, but he limited the damage in the fourth inning. To me, that was the turning point for him. The six or seven pitch inning, that was a huge inning just to keep us rolling and a cookie turned in five very good innings for us and then the bullpen stopped the game and it was a great win.” Giants left fielder Michel Conforto hit a two-run home run, his 10th of the season, off Carrasco in the second inning and center fielder Heliot Ramos brought home San Francisco’s third run with an RBI single in the top of the third inning. “I think the main part for me is just give you the opportunity, the team, to win the game,” Carrasco said. “Just to hold it right there because I know those guys, they've been playing hard, they respond right away and pretty much that's what they did today. The bullpen has been great, so they just hold it right there for four more innings. It's unbelievable.”
Hit parade – The Guardians opened the bottom of the fourth with four consecutive hits to cut the Giants lead to 3-2. Josh Naylor and Daniel Schneemann brought home the runs. Naylor singled and Schneemann doubled.
Roster moves – Left hander Logan Allen was optioned to AAA Columbus Sunday morning and right hander Spencer Howard was added to the 26-man roster. “It was tough,” Vogt said. “Logan's such a big part of our success so far through this year, and I think it's an opportunity for Logan to go down and get some consistency back.” Allen is the second pitcher sent to AAA in the last week. Triston McKenzie was sent down on June 30. “I don't think it's ever easy to send two of your guys to AAA,” Vogt said. “It's not fun. It's not fun for them, not fun for us. Try not to look at our record. We try to take it day to day. I know I'm going to stay right there, but I think for us it's just what's best for them and for us, long-term is, and we don't anticipate either of them being long, but just to get them a breather.” The Guardians acquired Howard from the Giants on Friday for cash.
Million mark – The Guardians eclipsed 1 million fans Sunday with a crowd of 32,012 fans. The team has drawn 1,027,517 through 41 home dates. It’s the fastest to 12 million fans for the club since 2008.
Up next – The Guardians hit the road before the All-Star break for six starting in Detroit against the Tigers. RHP Gavin Williams (0-1, 11.25) vs. RHP Keider Montero (1-2, 6.60).
