The Guardians and Royals split their four-game series after the Guardians secured an 8-5 victory.
Cecconi’s Improved Offspeed Pitches
Slade Cecconi’s secondary pitches were a focus for the Guardians. Guardians manager Stephen Vogt mentioned the importance of Cecconi getting the right shapes with his offspeed pitches. Cecconi delivered 5 ⅓ innings, allowing two runs.
Cecconi felt his curveball was back to where it needed to be. He said he went back to a grip that allowed him to get more depth on the baseball, making adjustments that worked well.
Guardians’ Early Offensive Push
The Guardians’ offense showed some early potency. Five hits came from their first six batters, highlighted by Kyle Manzardo’s two-run double off Royals starter Seth Lugo. Cecconi was staked to a 3-0 lead in the first inning.
Petey Halpin delivered a run-scoring single in the third, increasing the Guardians’ lead to 4-0. It marked the first RBI of Halpin’s Major League career. Lugo exited the game after four innings due to a high pitch count of 102.
Naylor’s Key Home Run
Bo Naylor launched a three-run homer in the seventh, extending the Guardians’ lead to 8-2. Naylor’s homer seemed to ensure the Guardians wouldn’t have any late-game drama. “That’s something we talk about a lot, that every run is important,” Naylor said regarding his three-run homer.
Naylor added an infield hit in the ninth, finishing the game 2-for-5. He started the day with a .127 batting average.
“You always love to see the ball fall [for a hit],” Naylor said. “But at the end of the day, I always try to remind myself it’s about the preparation. Just continue to push forward and keep your mind in the right spot.”
Royals’ Fightback and Sabrowski’s Strikeout
Despite Naylor’s homer, the Royals kept charging, getting within three runs in the eighth. Erik Sabrowski struck out Vinnie Pasquantino with runners at second and third in an intense lefty-lefty matchup.
The Guardians needed to win the last two games of the series to avoid dropping their first series to an American League Central opponent since July 26-27 last year.