Three Observations From Guardians Victory Over Nationals, 7-1

The Cleveland Guardians found themselves back in the win column after they took the series opener from the Washington Nationals on Friday night, 7-1.

Here are three observations and takeaways from Cleveland’s latest win at Progressive Field.

Tanner Bibee Fills Up Strike Zone

The Guardians needed a solid outing from one of their starting pitchers after their series in Colorado. Tanner Bibee provided just that on Friday as he pitched 6.1 innings, struck out seven batters, gave up one earned run, and issued one walk.

The key to this start was his command. Bibee threw 89 pitches against the Nationals with 67 percent of those being strikes. Having a strong command like this is crucial for getting deep into games and Bibee proved that on Friday.

Steven Kwan’s Hamstring Holds Up

It felt like Steven Kwan was getting his recently healed hamstring tested in every inning. He tracked down numerous fly balls in left field and ran all over the base paths scoring two of Cleveland’s seven runs.

Kwan said after the game he “definitely felt that month away,” but it certainly didn’t seem that way from afar.

May 31, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians catcher David Fry (6) hugs center fielder Tyler Freeman (2) after Fry’s three run home run, while first baseman Josh Naylor, right, and Washington Nationals catcher Keibert Ruiz (20) look on during the seventh inning at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports | Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Hustle Changes Everything

Josh Naylor hit a soft ground ball to third base with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning. It was a tailor-made double play ball and the Nationals did end up getting the force out at second. However, Naylor hustled out of the box and was safe at first. This allowed a run to score but also set up the biggest play of the game.

David Fry was the batter after Naylor and immediately hit a three-run homer to give the Guardians a five-run lead at the time and blow the game wide open. This homer was undoubtedly the play that sealed the win for Cleveland, but it would never come to fruition without Naylor’s hustle just a few pitches before.