CLEVELAND — The Guardians have a ways to go before they become a convincing zombie — a once dead team supernaturally reanimated for the MLB playoff chase.
However, the Guardians have shown a bit of life. They defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 4-3 on Aug. 27 with Kyle Manzardo’s walk-off hit in the 10th inning, prevailing 2-1 in the series at Progressive Field. The triumph came a day after the Guardians ended a 28-inning scoreless drought and snapped a six-game losing streak with a 3-0 victory over the Rays.
Here is how the third and final matchup of the series between the Guardians (66-66) and Rays (64-69) unfolded through our updates:
Angel Martinez served as the automatic runner for the Guardians in the bottom of the 10th inning.
Martinez advanced from second to third base on a sacrifice bunt by Bo Naylor. Then the Rays intentionally walked Steven Kwan, setting up a showdown between relief pitcher Griffin Jax and Brayan Rocchio. Rocchio struck out swinging for the second out.
Kyle Manzardo then hit a walk-off RBI single to center field to lift the Guardians to a 4-3 victory. It was the third walk-off hit of Manzardo’s career, all happening this season.
Guardians closer Cade Smith (6-5) earned the win. Jax (1-7) took the loss.
Guardians video: Kyle Manzardo breaks down walk-off hit in 10th inning
The Cleveland Guardians beat the Tampa Bay Rays with Kyle Manzardo delivering a walk-off hit. Manzardo discussed the clutch at-bat in this video.
With the game in extra innings, the Guardians turned to closer Cade Smith to start the top of the 10th. Smith worked a one-two-three inning.
Facing a 3-2 deficit, the Guardians found a spark in the bottom of the ninth inning.
With one out, Nolan Jones hit a solo home run 428 feet to right-center field off Rays closer Pete Fairbanks to tie the score 3-3. It was the 14,000th homer in Cleveland franchise history.
Will Wilson then flew out to the warning track in left field, and Angel Martinez struck out swinging as the game went into extra innings.
Steven Kwan led off the bottom of the eighth inning by drawing a walk against Rays relief pitcher Garrett Cleavinger.
But Cleavinger struck out Brayan Rocchio, got Kyle Manzardo to fly out and struck out C.J. Kayfus to end the inning with the Rays ahead 3-2.
With two outs and runners on first and second base, Guardians relief pitcher Nic Enright struck out Rays cleanup hitter Junior Caminero swinging to end the top of the eighth inning.
Enright relieved Erik Sabrowski, who replaced Matt Festa to start the eighth inning and surrendered walks to Yandy Diaz and Brandon Lowe with two outs.
The Guardians remained behind 3-2 after Enright helped them escape a dicey situation unscathed.
With the Guardians behind by a run in the bottom of the seventh inning, Gabriel Arias and Will Wilson singled off Rays reliever Edwin Uceta. Wilson compiled a career-high three hits.
Sandwiched between those singles, Nolan Jones struck out swininging.
With runners on first and second base and one out, Angel Martinez popped out in foul territory near the first-base line.
Then the Rays summoned left-hander Garrett Cleavinger from the bullpen, and the Guardians used Bo Naylor to pinch hit for fellow catcher Austin Hedges. Naylor lined out to right field to end the inning with the Guardians trailing 3-2.
The Rays relieved starting pitcher Drew Rasmussen with right-handed reliever Edwin Uceta to begin the bottom of the seventh inning.
Rasmussen allowed two runs, four hits and one walk in six innings. He struck out five Guardians. He threw 85 pitches, 60 for strikes.
Trailing 3-2, the Guardians replaced starting pitcher Slade Cecconi with right-handed reliever Matt Festa to start the seventh inning.
Cecconi lasted six inings. He allowed three runs, six hits (one home run) and no walks. He struck out four. He threw 99 pitches, 63 for strikes. He retired the last 11 Rays he faced.
Festa worked a one-two-three seventh inning, striking out two of the batters he encountered.
In the fifth inning, Steven Kwan hit a two-out, one-run single to left field off Rays starting pitcher Drew Rasmussen, who is a former Oregon State teammate of Kwan.
Will Wilson scored the run to cut the Guardians’ deficit to 3-2. Wilson led off the inning with a single and later stole second base.
The inning ended when the Rays won a challenge deciding whether Kwan stole second base without being tagged out.
The Guardians experienced difficulty against Rays starting pitcher Drew Rasmussen. It’s not exactly shocking, considering Cleveland had been shut out in three consecutive losses for the first time since 1991 before it won Aug. 26.
Here’s another factor: Rasmussen is good.
Through four innings, the Guardians had produced one run and just two hits. Rasmussen had thrown 59 pitches, 39 for strikes. He had struck out five and walked one.
Yandy Diaz haunted his former Cleveland team. With one out in the third inning, he singled down the third-base line.
Then Brandon Lowe hit a two-run home run 416 feet to right-center field off Guardians starting pitcher Slade Cecconi, giving the Rays a 3-1 advantage.
With one out in the second inning, Gabriel Arias drew a walk against Rays starting pitcher Drew Rasmussen. Then Arias advanced to third base when Nolan Jones singled to center field. With a safety squeeze called, Will Wilson bunted Arias home, tying the score 1-1, and reached safely because the Rays didn’t cover first base.
Angel Martinez followed with a sacrifice bunt, moving Jones to third base and Wilson to second. With two outs and runners in scoring position, Austin Hedges struck out swinging.
Josh Lowe led off the second inning with a double to right field off Guardians starting pitcher Slade Cecconi.
Then Everson Pereira drove Lowe home with a broken-bat RBI single to left field. Steven Kwan’s throw to home plate was off line, and Lowe easily scored to give the Rays a 1-0 lead.
Jake Mangum’s infield single moved Pereira to second base. Fortunately for the Guardians, Carson Williams grounded into a 6-4-3 double play, and Cecconi got Hunter Feduccia to line out to third base.
Cecconi threw 42 pitches through two innings.
Rays starting pitcher Drew Rasmussen worked a one-two-three first inning against the Guardians. He induced Steven Kwan and Brayan Rocchio to fly out and struck out Kyle Manzardo swinging.
Yandy Diaz, formerly of Cleveland, smacked a one-out double to right field off Guardians starting pitcher Slade Cecconi.
But Cecconi got Brandon Lowe to pop out to second base and then struck out Junior Caminero looking.
Here is some pregame information:
For the Guardians, pitcher Slade Cecconi is set to start opposite fellow right-hander Drew Rasmussen.
Cecconi has started 17 Guardians games this season, earning a record of 5-6 with a 4.41 ERA and 1.28 WHIP. He has struck out 79 batters and walked 26 in 96 innings.
Rasmussen will make his 25th start this season. He has earned a record of 10-5 with a 2.62 ERA and 0.99 WHIP, striking out 108 and walking 27 in 123⅔ innings. He appeared in his first MLB All-Star Game this season, receiving a nod as an injury replacement.
Cleveland Guardians players | Today’s lineup vs Tampa Bay RaysSteven Kwan, LFBrayan Rocchio, 2BKyle Manzardo, DHC.J. Kayfus, 1BGabriel Arias, SSNolan Jones, RFWill Wilson, 3BAngel Martinez, CFAustin Hedges, CWhy Guardians All-Star third baseman Jose Ramirez is not in the lineup for the series finale vs. Rays
Guardians six-time All-Star third baseman Jose Ramirez is not in the lineup for the series finale against the Rays.
Guardians manager Stephen Vogt explained the team wanted to give Ramirez two days off in a row before playing 17 consecutive games.
“Hosey’s been playing a ton, obviously, playing every day, and we’re about to go 17 in a row after the off day [on Aug. 28], so we just thought in talking with him, hey, two days [off] and help him just kind of get everything under order,” Vogt said. “I mean, we all know Hosey plays hard and he’s always playing through little [injury] things, and he’s been playing through things all year. So [we want to] get him two days and then be ready to go for the 17 in a row.”
VIDEO: Cleveland Guardians manager on resting 3B Jose Ramirez
Cleveland Guardians manager Stephen Vogt talks about third baseman Jose Ramirez getting rest and his competitive nature Wednesday, Aug. 27.
The Cleveland Guardians are on Carlos Santana watch
The Guardians placed veteran first baseman Carlos Santana on outright waivers.
The development means one of MLB’s other 29 teams could claim Santana, 39. The catch is the claiming team would be responsible for paying the remainder of the $12 million salary he is owed. The amount is roughly $2 million.
If Santana were to go unclaimed, the Guardians could keep him or sever ties to clear the way for a prospect to be promoted.
Santana has spent 11 of his 16 MLB seasons with Cleveland. He signed a one-year deal with the Guardians in December, giving him a third tour with the franchise. This season, Santana is batting .225 with 11 home runs, 10 doubles, 52 RBIs and a .649 OPS in 116 games.
MLB Standings: Cleveland Guardians playoff picture
The Guardians don’t have a prayer of winning the American League Central Division for the second consecutive season. They entered Aug. 27 in third place in the division, 11½ games behind the first-place Detroit Tigers (78-56) and two games behind the second-place Kansas City Royals (68-65).
The only slim playoff hopes the Guardians still have are for a wild-card spot. They entered Aug. 27 five games behind the Seattle Mariners for AL’s the third and final wild-card berth. The Royals and Texas Rangers are ahead of the Guardians in the wild-card standings, too. The Royals headed into Aug. 27 three games behind the Mariners. The Rangers were 4½ games behind the Mariners.
After an off day Aug. 28, the Guardians will host the Mariners for three games Aug. 29-31. In the final month of the regular season, the Guardians will host the Royals for four games Sept. 8-11 and the Rangers for three games Sept. 26-28.
Heading into Aug. 27, FanGraphs gave the Guardians a 4% chance to make the playoffs.
So you’re telling me there’s a chance?
Stephen Vogt on how much Guardians lean on Steven Kwan, Jose Ramirez
Manager Stephen Vogt conceded in this Guardians video “it’s not fair” for the team to rely so heavily on Steven Kwan and Jose Ramirez, yet it happens.
Where can I watch the Guardians game today?
The game on Aug. 27 can be viewed on AT&T U-verse (Channel 1736), COX (Channel 80), DIRECTV Satellite and Streaming (Channel 662), FuboTV, Spectrum (Channel 1306) and MLB Network (out of market only). It can be streamed via MLB’s direct-to-consumer streaming subscription (CLEGuardians.TV). And it’ll be available on the radio via WTAM 1100 and WARF 1350.
Nate Ulrich is the sports columnist of the Akron Beacon Journal and a sports features writer. Nate can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich.