Skip to main content
SI

Guardians Amusingly Roasted Reds For Breaking Up Perfect Game With Bunt

The Guardians bullpen took a perfect game into the top of the seventh inning before it was broken up by Cincinnati.
Tim Capurso|
Cleveland Guardians relief pitcher Tim Herrin delivers a pitch as Cincinnati Reds outfielder TJ Friedl squares to bunt during the top of the seventh inning of Wednesday's game at Progressive Field.
Cleveland Guardians relief pitcher Tim Herrin delivers a pitch as Cincinnati Reds outfielder TJ Friedl squares to bunt during the top of the seventh inning of Wednesday's game at Progressive Field. | Screengrab Twitter @CleGuardians

The Clevelend Guardians social media team had a little fun during the club's 5-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday night at Progressive Field.

After clinching a first-round bye in the postseason, the Guardians changed up their pitching plans and went with a bullpen game for Wednesday's contest. The Guardians' deep bullpen, paced by opener Andrew Walters, was more than ready for the task.

Using four different pitchers, Cleveland had a perfect game heading into the seventh inning, when they sent out their fifth pitcher of the game, lefthander Tim Herrin.

Reds outfielder TJ Friedl, the leadoff hitter in the seventh inning, squared to bunt as Herrin delivered an 88 MPH slider on the first pitch of the at-bat. Friedl laid down a beauty of a bunt, reaching base safely for the first hit of the game, thus breaking up Cleveland's perfect game.

The fans at Progressive Field were not happy, as they rained down boos on Friedl and the Reds.

Similarly unhappy was the Guardians' social media team, which took to X (formerly Twitter) to playfully roast the "Kentucky Reds" for ruining the perfect game with a bunt.

Too funny.

More of the Latest Around MLB

Add us as a preferred source on Google
Published | Modified
Tim Capurso
TIM CAPURSO

Tim Capurso is a staff writer for Sports Illustrated, primarily covering MLB, college football and college basketball. Before joining SI in November 2023, Capurso worked at RotoBaller and ClutchPoints and is a graduate of Assumption University. When he's not working, he can be found at the gym, reading a book or enjoying a good hike. A resident of New York, Capurso openly wonders if the Giants will ever be a winning football team again.

Home/MLB