Guardians
Guardians’ pitchers surrender runs early and late in 13-4 loss to Texas
By Paul Hoynes
Published: Feb. 26, 2023, 6:19 p.m.
GOODYEAR, Ariz. --
The pitch clock didn’t bother Zach Plesac, but the Texas Rangers did.
Plesac allowed five runs in 1 2/3 innings Sunday as the Guardians fell to Texas, 13-4, in a Cactus League game at Goodyear Ballpark.
The Rangers took a 2-0 lead in the first on a sacrifice fly by Nataniel Lowe and a single by Robbie Grossman.
Plesac, 3-12 last season, had a 3-2 count on Corey Seager with two out and two on in the second. Seager made it 5-0 when he homered off the hitter’s eye in center field.
It was Plesac’s first start under the rules of the pitch clock -- 15 seconds to deliver a pitch with the bases empty and 20 seconds with a runner on base.
“I was feeling the pitch clock out,” said Plesac. “There was a couple of times I was ready to pitch early in the count and I’d wait to let the hitter know I was on my time. I could steal strikes like that.
“There was a couple of times I tried to speed it up. I could tell guys were getting in there (ready to hit) and I was already ready since I was waiting from 15 seconds. And I would pitch at like six seconds.
“I was just trying to get a feel for what it’s like to go fast and slow. We didn’t have a problem. I didn’t feel like we were rushed at all.
“There was a couple of times I tried to speed it up. I could tell guys were getting in there (ready to hit) and I was already ready since I was waiting from 15 seconds. And I would pitch at like six seconds.
“I was just trying to get a feel for what it’s like to go fast and slow. We didn’t have a problem. I didn’t feel like we were rushed at all.
Texas made it 8-0 on Jason Jung’s sacrifice fly off Sam Hentges in the fourth.
The Guardians rallied for three runs in the seventh on a two-run homer by Angel Martinez and a bases-empty homer by Micah Pries. Martinez is on the 40-man roster and Pries is a spring-training invitee from the minors.
The Rangers countered that rally with one of their own as they scored five runs in the eighth off Caleb Simpson.
Good outing:
Hunter Gaddis, knocked around in his brief taste of the big leagues last year, pitched two scoreless innings. The 6-6, 250-pound Gaddis, with shoulder length hair and a long beard, struck out four.
Gaddis in two starts last year for the Guardians went 0-2 with a 18.41 ERA.
“He was good,” said Francona, “because it wasn’t our best day. He spun some good breaking balls and got ahead with his fastball. That’s the way you’re supposed to pitch.”
Thou shall not steal:
The Guardians, second in the AL last year in stolen bases, are 0-for-3 in their first two Cactus League games. Richie Palacios was thrown out trying to steal second after his two-out single in the second.
Hot bats:
Pries doubled in Saturday’s Cactus League opener against the Reds to go along with his homer on Sunday. Jose Tena and Palacios had two hits each.
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