Series Review: Cleveland Guardians get needed series sweep over Tigers

The Cleveland Guardians swept the Detroit Tigers in a rain-shortened series.

The Cleveland Guardians seem to have gotten the big series win that they desperately needed. They swept the Detroit Tigers in what was supposed to be a four-game series but which ended up being a three-game series due to a rainout on Sunday.

While the Tigers aren’t a good team, confidence can build with series wins like this, and on a young team that is struggling to have confidence at the plate, this was a necessary sweep that could turn the tide of the season. The Guardians are now 46-44 and are only 2.5 games out of first in the AL Central with the Chicago White Sox on deck after the All-Star break.

While not covered in the series stand out, I do want to talk briefly about Myles Straw. While is batting average is not good, he continues to get on base. He only went two for nine at the plate but he had three walks on top of that, which helped him score two runs.

Straw is a character profile in why you can still be an asset even if you aren’t hitting. He’s not a home run hitter or an RBI guy, his only job is to get on base by any means necessary. All you can really ask a guy like that to do is get on base, and doing that five times in a series isn’t something to scoff at.

Series Review: Cleveland Guardians sweep Detroit Tigers

Game 1 – Guardians Win (4-0)

Triston McKenzie came to work to work on Thursday, going eight innings, striking out 12, and holding the Detroit Tigers at bay all day long. The team scored just four runs and left 10 on base but a win’s a win.

Game 2 – Guardians Win (6-5)

Zach Plesac has gotten very little run support all year, so it’s no surprise that the game he pitches poorly in sees the offense sputter to life. Josh Naylor and Andres Gimenez led the way and the Guardians score three unanswered to take the win.

Game 3 – Guardians Win (10-0)

Jose Ramirez’s thumb must be feeling better, as he homered twice and knocked in five RBIs. From June 5 until July 13, Ramirez had hist just four home runs, and on Saturday, he was able to achieve half of that production in one game.

Series Standouts

Steven Kwan

3-12, 4 Runs, 1 Walk

Amed Rosario

6-14, 2 RBI, 4 Runs

Jose Ramirez

4-11, 2 Home Runs, 7 RBI, 4 Runs

Josh Naylor

3-11, 4 RBI, 2 HR, 2 Runs, 1 Walk

Andres Gimenez

5-8, 3 RBI, 1 HR, 2 Runs, 1 Walk

Austin Hedges

4-8, 1 RBI

Triston McKenzie

8 IP, 12 K’s, 5 Hits