by CLEVELAND, OH – It was a rough first Cleveland start for Foster Griffin who let up 5 runs in just 4 innings as he took a loss. The Guardians fell 13-6 to the Mets today at Progressive Field. This completes a sweep of the Guardians via the Mets who came into Cleveland dead last in the National League East.
Griffin, who was acquired last week from Washinton looked sharp at times, striking out 6 but the long ball proved to be his downfall as he let up 2 of them in the second and never seemed to bounce back.
Foster Griffin’s first start with Cleveland got off to a great start as he struck out 3 of the first 4 batters he faced to send the Met’s back scoreless after the top half of the first. The only Met to reach base in the frame was Luis Robert Jr who singled.
Jose Ramirez’s 713th career walk put two men on with only one out in the bottom half of the first. The walk moved Ramirez past Jack Graney for sixth all time in Cleveland baseball history. A light single into shallow right by Nathaniel Lowe moments later loaded the bases for Angel Martinez. A first pitch two run single off Nolan McLean put the Guardians ahead 2-0. A two out single by Petey Halpin kept it going but the fly out to left by Patrick Bailey would leave them loaded as Cleveland had to settle for a 2-0 lead after one, despite sending 8 hitters to the plate.
Siemens blasted one over the center field wall in the top half of the second to cut the lead in half. It was a 413 foot blast to make it 2-1. A Luis Torrens single moments later set the table for a two run homerun by Cristian Pache to make it 3-2 Mets, just like that.
In the bottom half of the frame, Travis Bazzana played some small ball, earning a one out walk and stolen base to create a chance for Cleveland. Sadly, Chase DeLauter struck out and a diving stop by Eric Wagaman robbed Jose Ramirez to end the inning with the Mets still on top 3-2.
Things went from bad to worse in the third when the Mets tacked on two more runs courtesy of a Siemen sacrifice fly followed by a Benge tripled. Cleveland managed to get out of the inning without allowing any more runs but now trailed 5-2.
Down 6-2 in the bottom of the fifth inning, the Guardians needed a spark and got a huge one in the form of a three-run homerun from newly acquired Nathaniel Lowe who was batting cleanup today and did just that. McLean was able to get out of the inning with the Mets clinging to the 6-5 lead.
That was the closest Cleveland would get however as their bullpen imploded, giving up seven more runs in the final 3 innings to open the flood gates to another loss. The big bang coming on a 3-run bomb from Frankie Lidor that put it away for good and secured the sweep for the Mets.
The loss drops the Guardians to two games below 500 at 57-59.
