Post-Game Live Recap

3 Things About Guardians Loss To The Giants

1 – Clase Blown Save Again

Emmanuel Clase came into the bottom of the 10th with a one-run lead and left with a walk-off single for another loss.  Clase never got out for his 11th-blown save of the 2023 season.
Another strange and incorrect balk call against Clase in the 10th advanced the runner to third as well.  That is the third balk call against Cleveland pitchers in the past two days.  All debatable at best 

2 – Gimenez

Andres Gimenez came through in the top of the 10th with an RBI single to score Tyler Freeman to give the Guardians a lead at 4-3. 

3 – Naylor Splash  

Josh Naylor hit a two-run home run into the bay in the top of the 3rd, his 17th on the season.  Josh is currently hitting above .300 in the month of September at .318. 

Game Summary

In the 10th inning, LaMonte Wade Jr. delivered a delicate single that dropped just ahead of sliding center fielder Myles Straw, allowing Blake Sabol to cross the plate with the decisive run. This pivotal play propelled the San Francisco Giants to a 5-4 comeback victory over the Cleveland Guardians on Monday night.

This thrilling win kept the Giants within striking distance of the Arizona Diamondbacks, trailing them by just 1½ games in the race for the third NL wild card spot. San Francisco’s recent resurgence saw them secure their fourth consecutive victory, following a challenging six-game losing streak.

On the flip side, the Cleveland Guardians suffered their third consecutive loss and remained 7½ games behind the AL Central-leading Minnesota Twins.

Sabol affectionately referred to Wade as “late-night LaMonte,” highlighting his ability to shine in clutch moments. He praised Wade’s unwavering composure at the plate, regardless of his previous at-bats, which instilled confidence in the team. Sabol stated, “What makes him such a special player is no matter what’s happening, whether he’s 0 for 4 or if he’s 4 for 4, he’s the same guy walking up to the plate. When he walked up there at the end, I felt pretty good.”

After the Guardians briefly took the lead in the top of the 10th inning, the San Francisco Giants responded with two runs, clinching the victory in their final at-bat for the sixth time this season.

Sabol, who entered the game as a pinch-hitter in the seventh inning, delivered a crucial single against All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase (2-9), bringing in Joc Pederson to tie the game.

With Sabol swiping second base, Wade sent a fly ball into shallow center field that landed just in front of Straw. As Sabol rounded third base and crossed home plate, the crowd of 20,705 (the third-smallest attendance at Oracle Park this season) erupted in celebration, and Giants players stormed the infield to join the jubilation.

Reflecting on his pivotal at-bat, Wade commented, “(Clase) throws hard. Just trying to hit something up the middle and let him supply the power, but still stay within the approach, not trying to get too big. I was able to do that.”

Wade finished the game with two hits, while Mike Yastrzemski also contributed two hits, including his 14th home run of the season.

The Guardians had surrendered leads of 2-0 and 3-2 before briefly taking a 4-3 lead in the 10th inning thanks to Andrés Giménez’s RBI single.

Luke Jackson (2-2) played a pivotal role, fielding a comebacker and making a crucial throw to retire Josh Naylor at third base.

Sabol summed up the thrilling victory by saying, “Everything worked together to get today’s win.”

Notably, Josh Naylor added to the excitement with his ninth home run and two RBIs for Cleveland in their first appearance at Oracle Park since 2017. Both Naylor and his brother, Bo, enjoyed multi-hit performances.

Josh Naylor made an impact early in the game, doubling in his first at-bat and later launching a splitter from starter Alex Cobb over the right-field wall and into McCovey Cove in the third inning. The Giants responded with runs of their own, as Pederson singled home a run in the bottom half, and another run crossed the plate on J.D. Davis’ groundout, giving San Francisco a 3-2 lead. Cleveland eventually tied the game in the seventh inning on Steven Kwan’s two-out RBI single.

Up Next

The Guardians are set to send Cal Quantrill (2-6, 5.70), who sat out a month earlier this season due to inflammation in his pitching shoulder, will be going for his first win since May 7.

Tuesday 9/12 9:45 PM EST – Game 2 vs. San Francisco Giants

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