Guards stumble in Baltimore, but still control post season chances

The series in Baltimore was one the Guardians would like to flush. They lost two-of-three to the Orioles but actually gained ground in the race for the AL Central title as the White Sox (75-71) were swept by Pittsburgh in their own three-game series.

As it stood before play began on Sept. 11, the Guardians (74-73) were just 1 1/2 games behind the White Sox for the AL Central lead. Cleveland also held the third and final Wild Card spot, a game in front of Toronto, two games in front of Texas, and three ahead of the Twins.

As the Guardians begin a three-game series in Minneapolis, let's recap the Baltimore set.

Cleveland lost the opener of the three-game series on Memorial Day, 6-4, came back to win the middle game 9-5, and lost the finale, 9-5.

The starting pitching was bad in all three games, and Cleveland was lucky not to be swept.

They led 6-0 in the middle game before Tanner Bibee was lit up for five runs and the Orioles made things interesting.

A big two-run single by Brayan Rocchio assured Cleveland would hold on for the win in that Sept. 8 victory. That game also saw Travis Bazzana hit a three-run homer to help Cleveland jump out to a 6-0 lead.

The Sept. 9 loss may have been one of the ugliest of the campaign.

Cleveland led 2-0 early thanks to Chase DeLauter's two-run home run.

But starter Foster Griffin could not hold the lead as Baltimore used an eight-run third inning to take an 8-2 lead and held on for the win. 

The game will also be remembered as the contest in which Jose Ramirez dropped a foul pop fly off the bat of Coby Mayo, and Mayo used the second life to hit a home run. That play came in the seventh inning. Baltimore was leading 8-5 at that point. 

Ramirez dropped his head after the home run, which was noted by Cleveland.com reporter Paul Hoynes.

"I've seen Ramirez play just about every game in his big league career, and I've never seen him hang his head on a baseball field," Hoynes noted in the story he wrote about Ramirez.

Also in that story, Hoynes noted how Ramirez has not been the same player since returning to the lineup after breaking a hamate bone in his left hand. Ramirez, Hoynes pointed out, has driven in just 15 runs in 40 games since he came back from the injury, which occurred on June 14 and kept him sidelined for five weeks.

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