CLEVELAND GUARDIANS NOTES:
15-HIT EXPLOSION PROPELS GUARDS PAST RAYS
Avenging walk-off defeats in each of the first 2 games of the series, the Cleveland Guardians bounced back with a cathartic 9-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday afternoon at Tropicana Field…Cleveland is 1-2 on this 5-game, 6-day swim thru Tampa Bay (1-2) and Cincinnati (2G)…club has gone 11-8-3 over last 22 series (+2G above .500/36-34 record since May 26).
The Guardians lineup supplied the offensive pressure early, plating all 9 runs prior to the start of the 6th inning in support of TANNER BIBEE (7.0IP, 7H, 2R-ER, 0BB, 5SO, 97 pitches), who logged 7.0 strong frames to earn his 9th victory and build upon the starting rotation’s recent stretch of effectiveness (2.70 ERA last 14G)…both tallies against Bibee came as a result of doubles by Osleivis Basabe and Randy Arozarena in the 3rd and 6th innings, respectively, as the Rays’ first run came on an RBI-single by Yandy Díaz while the second was pushed across by a Harold Ramírez sac fly…Cleveland’s offense chased Rays starter Zach Eflin from the contest after 3.0 innings, blitzing the right-hander for 6 runs – half of those coming on a pair of home runs by ANDRÉS GIMÉNEZ, who drilled a 1st-inning solo shot, and GABRIEL ARIAS, who helped power the club’s 3-run rally in the 2nd with a 2-run blast… Giménez finished the contest with 4 hits, adding an RBI-single in the 4th… OSCAR GONZÁLEZ drilled a trio of doubles, 2 of which drove in runs…STEVEN KWAN (single) and WILL BRENNAN (groundrule double) also chipped in one RBI apiece…KOLE CALHOUN recorded his third multi-hit efforts in 8 games since joining the club.
Cleveland (57-62) sits in 2nd place in AL Central standings, 4.5 games behind 2nd-place Minnesota (62-58) and 3.5 games ahead of 3rd-place Detroit (-8.0G, 53-65)…despite dropping 11 of last 16, Guardians have still won 25 of 49, 32 of 62 and 36 of last 70…have also dropped 56 of last 104 overall since starting year 9
9-6.
THE OHIO CUP IS UNDERWAY!
The 26th edition of the Ohio Cup is set to begin tonight between the Guardians and Reds…the two sides will square off in a 4-game home-and home matchup with 2 games taking place in Cincinnati tonight and tomorrow and another pair of games in Cleveland on September 26-27…the Ohio Cup trophy will be earned by the team who wins the majority of games during the season series or retained by the previous year’s winner if the series ends in a tie… Cleveland has won the Ohio Cup outright 11 times and retained the trophy 9 times, while the Reds have won the coveted cup 5 times… the Guardians have either won or retained the cup in 8 straight seasons, daitng back to 2015 while going 26-12 against Cincy over that stretch…the Frank Robinson Most Outstanding Player Award will be given to the best player during the series, won last year by Cincinnati’s Tyler Naquin…the last Clevelander to win the award was JOSÉ RAMÍREZ in 2020.
Cleveland holds a 71-56 (.559) overall record against Cincinnati since the two sides first squared off in 1997 and have won of their last 6 against their rival counterparts…the Guardians are 32-30 on the road against the Reds…the Guards have won each of their last 3, 10 of their last 13 and 14 of their last 18 road contests against the Redlegs…in last year’s season series, Cleveland won both games in Cincinnati, but the Reds returned the favor with 2 victories in Cleveland, resulting in the Guardians retaining the trophy…the Guardians own a 29-17 record against the Reds in the Terry Francona era (since 2013).
TANNER’S BANNER RUN
Following his victory on Sunday afternoon at Tampa Bay, TANNER BIBEE improved to 9-2, becoming the second rookie in franchise history to win 9 of their first 11 career decisions as a starter, last done by Duster Mails (9-2) from 1920-21…he is also the first Cleveland rookie to win 9 of their first 11 overall decisions (including relief appearances) since Luis Tiant (9-2) in 1964… Bibee has also won 7 consecutive decisions, becoming the third rookie in franchise history to do so…the only other Cleveland rookie hurlers to win 7-or-more consecutive decisions are Gene Bearden (7) in 1948 and Wes Ferrell (10) in 1929…his .818 win percentage ranks 2nd (min. 5 decisions) among Cleveland pitchers through 19 career games, behind Satchel Paige (6-1, .857) in 1948…Bibee is also the 10th pitcher in AL history to post 100+ strikeouts and a sub-3.00 ERA within their first 19 career starts, last done by Michael Fulmer for Detroit in 2016 and last done by a Cleveland pitcher in 1964 via Tiant.
LET’S GET IT STARTED
In the second half, the Guardians’ starting rotation has held opponents to 2-or-fewer earned runs in 24 of its 29 starts since July 14 and have lasted 5.0-or-more
innings in 24 of their 29 starts since the All-Star break, with 3 of those 5 outings being XZAVION CURRY’s spot starts…the 2.73 ERA from the rotation 48ER/158.0IP) to start the second half is the lowest in MLB, 52 points lower than the next-best team (Toronto, 3.25)…the table above shows how Cleveland’s starting pitching ranks among MLB teams since the All-Star break.
CITY OF ROCK AND ROLL PLAYING THE HITS
Since June 1, Cleveland has out-hit their opponents in 40 games, 2 more than any other MLB team (Atlanta, 38)…the Guardians 27 wins in those 40 games are T3rd-most in the AL and T5th-most in MLB behind Atlanta (34), Los Angeles-NL (32), Texas (28) and Boston (28)…their 13 losses when out-hitting their opponents since June 1 are tied with Houston for most of any MLB team.
The Guardians rank 1st in the AL/2nd in MLB with 31 10+ hit games since May 30, trailing Atlanta (32)…the club’s 616 hits since May 30 rank 2nd in the AL/3rd in MLB during the stretch, behind Atlanta (642) and Texas (629)…their .269 batting average since May 30 trails only Texas (.273) and Atlanta (.286).
I’M READY! POST-PROMOTION!
In his first 14 games since being promoted from AAA Columbus on July 27, OSCAR GONZALEZ has posted a .326 (15-for-46) batting average with 6 runs scored, 5 extra-base hits and 3 RBI… in his 25 games to start the season before being optioned to AAA Columbus, Gonzalez was hitting .192 with 5 runs scored, 4 extrabase hits and 5 RBI…he recorded his first career game of 3-ormore extra base hits on Sunday at Tampa Bay with a 3-double performance.
DOUBLE TROUBLE
Since the Trade Deadline on August 1, the Guardians have turned 13 double plays in 12 games, ranking 4th in the AL/5th in MLB…Toronto leads MLB with 15 double plays…prior to the deadline, Cleveland ranked 27th in double plays turned with 75 in 107 games…since the deadline, Cleveland is turning 1.08 double plays per game, compared to a 0.7 rate prior.
TONIGHT’S STARTER – #41 LOGAN ALLEN LHP
ALLEN ON THE ROAD
W-L ERA G GS IP H R ER BB SO
2023 3-2 3.37 8 8 41.1 37 15 15 17 46
Career 3-2 3.37 8 8 41.1 37 15 15 17 46
ALLEN’S MLB CAREER
W-L ERA G GS IP H R ER BB SO
2023 5-5 3.55 17 17 91.1 90 38 36 35 88
Career 5-5 3.55 17 17 91.1 90 38 36 35 88
TONIGHT’S START
The 24-year-old southpaw is making his 17th career MLB start, ninth on the road, in the first of a pair of games with the Cincinnati Reds – the first of 4 games in the coveted Battle of the Ohio Cup… has made back-to-back starts of 5.0+ innings with 2-or-fewer runs allowed.
Allen was originally selected by Cleveland in the 2nd round (56th overall) of the 2020 MLB Draft out of Florida International University…entered the season as Cleveland’s #8 prospect according to MLB.com.
Is making this start on extended 5 days’ rest; owns a 2-1 record with a 4.10 ERA (22ER/48.1IP) in 9 career starts on 5 days’ rest.
LAST TIME OUT
Allen’s last start came on August 9 in a 1-0 loss against the Toronto Blue Jays at Progressive Field…despite allowing just one earned run over 5.0 innings, he suffered his 5th loss of the season after the Cleveland offense failed to produce any runs against Toronto’s pitching, as starter Kevin Gausman worked 7.0-shutout i nnings…Allen’s only mark came in the 1st frame when, following a 13-pitch at-bat, George Springer sent a solo home run over the left field wall, the game’s lone run…he finished the day with 4 hits allowed, 3 walks and 3 strikeouts.
INTER-GALACTIC
Allen is making his 4th career Interleague start, possessing a 2-0 record with a 3.86 ERA (6ER/14.0IP), 18 strikeouts and 6 walks against the National League…2 of his 3 previous Interleague starts have come on the road…in his most recent Interleague outing against the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 18 at PNC Park, he earned the win, allowing one hit over 5.0-scoreless innings with 8 strikeouts and one walk…Cleveland has won all 3 of his Interleague starts.
RISP-Y BUSINESS
Opposing teams are hitting .182 (14-for-77) against Allen with runners in scoring position, the 2nd-lowest average of any starter on the roster (min 30.0IP) behind XZAVION CURRY (.177)…is also holding hitters to a .097 (3-for-31) average with runners in scoring position and 2 outs…the .097 average with RISP and 2 outs ranks T6th in MLB with CIN’s Alexis Díaz (min. 30 BF) and his .182 RISP average ranks T7th among AL pitchers with BOS’s Brayan Bello (min. 75 BF).
GETTING IN THE EARLY WORK
Allen has had success the first time through the lineup…the lefty is holding opposing hitters to a .197 (27-for-137) average the first time through the lineup compared to a .258 (34-for-132) mark the second time through the order and a .341 (28-for-82) average the third time through…through the first 3 innings in his starts this season, opposing teams are hitting .199 (37-for-186) against Allen, compared to a .317 clip (53-for-167) in the 4th-7th innings.
THE ALLEN WRENCH
Allen started his MLB career with 8 straight starts of 3-or-fewer runs allowed, becoming the third Cleveland pitcher with 8-or-more such outings to begin a career, joining Aaron Civale (9, 2019) and Cliff Lee (10, 2002-03)…joined Herb Score (1955) as the only 2 pitchers in franchise history with 8+SO in their first 2 career starts… became the third pitcher in Cleveland history with 6.0+IP, 8+SO and one-or-fewer earned runs in an MLB debut, joining TRISTON McKENZIE and Luis Tiant…his 8 strikeouts rank T4th in a Cleveland MLB debut.
CINCINNATI REDS NOTES:
TRANSACTIONS
- The Reds today transferred from ACL Reds to Class AA Chattanooga the rehabilitation assignment of LHP Nick Lodolo (left calf tendinosis).
TONIGHT’S GAME
- Is Game 1 of a 2-game series vs Tom Hamilton’s Indians and Game 1 of a 5-game homestand that includes Thu’s off day followed by a weekend series vs the American League East Divison’s Blue Jays (3g).
- Is Game 10 (3-6) of a stretch in which the Reds will play 11 of 14 games at Great American Ball Park (0-3 vs Wsh, 1-2 vs Mia, 2-1 at Pit, 0-0 vs Cle, 3g vs Tor).
- The Reds are coming off a 2-1 road trip at Pit’s PNC Park…went 1-5 on their previous homestand (0-3 vs Wsh, 1-2 vs Mia).
SERIES NOTES
- The teams split the last 2 seasons series, 3-3 in 2021 and 2-2 last season.
- The Reds haven’t won a season series vs the Guardians since 2014 (3-1).
- The Reds won (5) or tied (9) 14 of the 25 Ohio Cup season series, including 5 straight wins or ties from 2006-2010, but lost 5 of the last 8 season series.
- Beginning in 2015, the Reds have lost 14 of the last 18 games vs Cle at Great American Ball Park.
- The coveted Ohio Cup is awarded to the team that wins each season’s series between the Reds and Guardians…should the season series end in a tie, the trophy will be retained by the previous year’s winner…the most deserving player in each season’s series receives the Frank Robinson Most Outstanding Player Award.
BLUE JAYS UP NEXT
- The Reds are 7-14 all-time in 7 interleague series vs Tor, including 4-5 at Great American Ball Park.
- The teams are meeting for the second consecutive season, but the Blue Jays are visiting GABP for the only the third time ever and for the first time since 2014.
- Joey Votto has hit .254 in 18 career apps vs his childhood team (17-67, 5 2b, 4hr, 10rbi, 9bb, 16k, .342obp, .507slg, .850ops).
BIG ROAD MACHINE
- Beginning 5/26, the Reds are 26-12 over their last 6 road trips covering 12 road series.
- The Reds have won 9 of their last 12 road series, including a streak of 7 straight road series wins snapped by the Brewers in the last series before the All-Star Game break…also lost at Mil in the first road series of the second half.
- From 5/26-7/6, the Reds won at least 7 straight road series for only the third time in their history (3-0 at Cubs, 2-1 at Bos, 2-1 at StL, 3-0 at KC, 3-0 at Hou, 2-1 at Bal, 4-0 at Wsh)…won 8 straight road series in 1923 (7/2-8/25) and 1976 (6/25-8/12)…courtesy @EliasSports.
- Went 8-1 on their road trip to StL (2-1), KC (3-0) and Hou (3-0)…for only the second time ever, won 8 games on a road trip of 9 games or fewer (8-0, 9/21-9/27, 1964)…was their first road trip of any length with at least 8 wins since 5/28-6/9, 1999 (9-3)…courtesy @EliasSports.
- The 10-3 loss on 6/26 at Bal snapped the Reds’ 8-game road winning streak, tied for the second-longest streak in the Major Leagues this season.
RUNNING MEN
- The Reds lead the Major Leagues with 134 stolen bases (TB 2nd, 130), their highest total since 2016 (139sb)…in 2022, the Reds recorded 58 steals…are trying to lead the National League in stolen bases for the first time since 2015 (134sb).
- The Reds recorded 50 stolen bases in June, their highest steals total in a calendar month since September 1912 (53sb).
- 5 times this season recorded at least 5 stolen bases in a game (6sb on 6/2 vs Mil, 9sb on 6/3 vs Mil, 5sb on 6/25 at Bal, 6sb on Tue at Wsh, 5sb on 7/8 at Mil)…prior to 6/2, the Reds hadn’t recorded 5 stolen bases in a game since 4/10/17 at Pit.
- Their 9 stolen bases on 6/3 vs Mil (Jake Fraley 3, Spencer Steer 2, Jonathan India 2, Will Benson, Stuart Fairchild) was their highest single-game total since 5/30/1976 vs LAD (9sb)…the Reds’ single-game record since 1900 for stolen bases in a game remains 10 (5/29/1913 at StL).
- With Elvis Peguero pitching, Elly De La Cruz on 7/8 at Mil became only the fourth Reds batter ever to steal second, third and home in the same inning (Hans Lobert 9/27/1908, Dode Paskert 5/23/1910, Greasy Neale 8/15/1919)…became the first Major League batter to steal second, third and home in the same inning since Mia’s Jon Berti did it on 8/25/2020 at NYM…became the first Reds batter with a straight steal of home since Brandon Phillips did it on 7/10/2009 at NYM.
RED HOTS
- 13 Reds players have made Major League debuts this season, the most in the Major Leagues (RHP Casey Legumina, RHP Levi Stoudt, IF Matt McLain, LHP Brandon Williamson, RHP Eduardo Salazar, OF TJ Hopkins, LHP Andrew Abbott, IF Elly De La Cruz, RHP Ricky Karcher, RHP Randy Wynne, RHP Jake Wong, IF Christian EncarnacionStrand, RHP Lyon Richardson)…17 rookies played in at least 1 game for the Reds.
- The Reds have used 54 players…RHP Michael Mariot was on the roster for 1 day (7/8) but did not appear in a game…in 2022, the Reds used a club record 66 players.
- The Reds are the first team in Major League history to move into first place alone in 9 games or fewer after falling 5 or more games under .500 while facing a deficit of at least 5 games…on 6/9 were 29-35 and trailed the first-place Pirates by 5.0 games…beginning 6/10 won 9 straight games to move into first place alone on 6/19…courtesy @OptaSTATS and @EliasSports.
- The Reds’ 12-game winning streak from 6/10-6/23 tied their modern club record (5/16-5/27, 1939 & 4/30-5/12, 1957).
- The Reds went 18-9 in June, their highest victory total in any month since June 2014 (18-10).
- From 6/14-7/8 Reds batters established a new franchise record for consecutive games with at least 1 home run (22g, 45hr), a streak snapped in the 1-0 loss at Mil in the final game heading into the All-Star Game break…the 1956 Reds held the team record by homering in 21 consecutive games.
Tonight’s Pitcher – #51 Graham Ashcraft, RHP
- Tonight is making his first career appearance vs the Guardians.
- In his first 6 starts through 5/2 went 2-0, 2.00 (.202baa).
- In his first 3 starts (19ip, 3er) became the eighth Reds pitcher, since 1901 and including Nick Lodolo in 2023, to begin a season with at least 17.0 innings while allowing 4 earned runs or fewer.
- Became the first Reds pitcher to begin a non-COVID season with 3 consecutive quality starts since Amir Garrett in 2017 (3qs).
- Became the first Reds pitcher to begin a season with 6 starts without allowing more than 2 earned runs in any of those starts since Luis Castillo began the 2019 campaign by allowing 2 ER or fewer in each of his first 7 starts.
- In his next 8 apps from 5/7-6/24 went 1-6, 12.82 (.386baa).
- In the 17-4 loss on 5/7 vs WSox allowed a career-high 8 runs in 1.2 innings…was the shortest start of his career and the shortest start by a Reds pitcher to that point in the season…was charged with all 8 runs in the second inning after throwing a perfect first…entered that 5/7 start leading all National League pitchers in bWAR (2.1), the third-best bWAR among all players in the Major Leagues (Gerrit Cole 2.5, Ronald Acuña Jr. 2.2).
- In his last 8 apps beginning 6/30, including 7 quality starts, went 3-1, 1.94 (51ip, 11er, .212baa).
- His 3-2 win on 7/19 vs SF snapped the Reds’ 6-game losing streak that tied their season high.
- Has made 9 apps since a 15-day stint on the injured list (left calf contusion, 6/9-6/23)…in those 9 starts went 3-2, 2.78 (55ip, 17er, .239baa).
- Was charged with 2 pitch timer violations (5/12 at Mia, Jorge Soler walked & 8/9 vs Mia, Josh Bell batting).
- Between a solo HR by Pit’s Bryan Reynolds in his season debut and a 2-run HR by WSox’ Hanser Alberto’s on 5/7 in his seventh start, Ashcraft recorded a career-high homerless streak of 33.0 innings
