But Yesteray's Game was 2022 all over. down 6-2 going into the bottom of the 8th:
first a series of singles: kwan, rosario, ramirez and belll score 2 runs
then Naylor 3 run homer and another by Giminez


Josh I read has more 8th, 9th or xtra innings in the past [2?3?] years than any other hitter [see Hoynes artilce]

Stephan got the call in the 9th and had a kind of rocky but scoreless save.
Gallagher kept the 0 for May streak alive for Guardian catchers.

Biever Bibee McKenzie Williams Quantrill or maybe Allen and then there's Civale and maybe Plesac with Battenfield and Gaddis either joining Curry in the bullpen or staying in reserve in Columbus or traded away for a right handed hitter RF.... unless they decide to give that position to the lefty hitting Vaera

Zunino returned. He hit a fair ball in one AB and struck out only twice. Catchers for the month: 0-38 with one 1 walk. OPS 025

Battenfield, tied with Karinchak for most losses, goes against Clevinger, for whom we can thank for Josh Naylor, Cal Qunatrill, Gabriel Arias [FWIW], regrets for not retaining Austin Hedges, Owen Miller hitting over 300 for the Brewers, and on-the-rise Joey Cantillo.

Should be easy win tonight vs Clevinger.

Ramirez out. Naylor out Zunino starts again. Battenfield hoping for his first win. [Both Civale and McKenzie scheduled for rehab starts this week; Battenfield won't get too many chance

Another fine performance by the Guardians.

Offensive highlighted by a perfect 0-11 with runners in scoring position.
Rocchio shows his at bat skills with a first pitch double play with two men on base
Zunino keeps his personal streak alive, fanning 2 times in 2 tries. 0-27 with 21 K i May
But Fry ruined it for the position with a pinch hit single

Battenfield nearing the end of his career as a Cleveland starter, surrenders 3 homers, loses his 5th in 5 starts, although the first couple were undeserved.
Civale and McKenzie are rehabbing this week so could be reclaiming their roles by the start of June.

3rd try against the formerly-struggling Sox. We get a second opportunity against a RH but absence again of Naylor and Ramirez won't help.

The lineup from 1-8 is descending batting averages:

1. The only consistent hitter on the team .276 in LF
2. Either 3 hits 4 hits or no hits .253 SS
3. All Star in 2022, not this year 238 2B
4. Not bad at all in May 226 DH
5. Not the breakout star he was in Sept 2022 209 RF
6. Strikes out nearly as frequently as Z 169 1B
7. One 2-foot single to his credit so far in the majors 167 3B
8. No hits this month but at least he hits fair balls 051 C
And breaking the cycle: 9. Looking for his first homer since 2021 235 CF

Kwan for a change did not lead off the game with a hit or a walk. Odds of perfect game rise precipitously. Odds of shutout were high to start with, not getting close to prohibitive.

No perfect game. Bell [Mr. May] singled. Arias {Mr. Not Yet] GIDP [that's 3 double plays in 6 DP opportunities for a solid .500 pct]

2singles and a walk load the bases with none out vs. Logan Allen in the 2nd.
Chances the G's would score more than 1 n this situation are low; can the Sox do better?

No,they can't and let's give credit to Allen for getting a pop up and 2 strikeouts including a 8pitch battle with jake Marsinick

And that shift in momentum propels the Guardians offense to a 1-2-3 3rd inning. Not a perfect game for the previously struggling Dylan Cease, [6.19 ERA in prior 7 starts] but he's only faced the minimum 9 in 3 tough innings.

Gallagher nails a basestealer, saving a run when the next guy doubles.

Momentum again shifts to the G's, who proceed to go out in order. They are one tough team to pitch to!

Now the bats are working: Sox score in the 4th and G's answer with Gabriel Arias HR. 1-1.

Gallagher ends the inning with his 2nd strikeout so at least we can still rely on the catchers.

5th inning will have to be Allen's last, he's up to 86 pitches while yielding 7 hits. Hopefully he leaves the game tied.