Postgame Notes: Guardians 10, Rangers 4
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TEXAS was swept by Cleveland in this 3-game weekend series, finishing with a 2-4 record on this 6-game homestand vs. LAA (2-1) and CLE (0-3)…marks 1st time to be swept since 9/1-4 at BOS (0-4), and 1st time to be swept in a series of 3+ games at home 8/1-3 vs. BAL (0-3)…today’s loss marked just 5th time to allow 10+ runs at home this season (5x, last 11 R on 9/10 vs. TOR)…team has lost 3 straight, 6 of 8, 11 of 17, and 20 of last 27 G overall dating back to 8/27…has gone 7-16 (.304) in September, T2nd-most losses in any month this season (10-17 in July, 12-16 in Aug.).
COLE RAGANS falls to 0-3 through the first 8 games/starts of his Major League career after taking the loss today (5.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R-3 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO)…matched his career high of 5.0 innings pitched (3x, last 8/17 vs. OAK)…was undone by a 4-run 3rd inning in which he allowed 4 singles, with 2 of those runs scoring via fielder’s choice throwing error by third baseman Josh Jung…Ragans has permitted 3-or-fewer earned runs in 6 of 8 career starts.
JOSH JUNG went 2-for-4 with a double to match his season/career high in hits (3x, last 9/18 at TB), the lone Ranger with multiple hits this afternoon…recorded a steal of 3rd base in the 5th inning, his 2nd career stolen base and 1st since his MLB debut on 9/9 vs. TOR…Jung entered today’s contest hitless in his previous 5 G and 0-for-his-last-19.
MARCUS SEMIEN went 1-for-3 with a single, walk, and 2 runs scored today…has hits in 11 of his last 13 G at .392 (20-51) and is slashing .337/.388/.589/.977 (32-95) over 23 G in September, leading the Rangers in hits (32) and runs (18) this month…has scored 96 runs this season, and is seeking to produce the first 100-run campaign by a Texas batter since Elvis Andrus in 2017 (100).
CLEVELAND clinched its first A.L. Central Division crown since 2018 with today’s win...marks club's 11th title since the A.L. Central's inception in 1994, most in the division ahead of Minnesota (8)...since 1994, Cleveland's 11 division titles match St. Louis for 5th-most in baseball…this is CLE’s 5th playoff berth in the last 7 seasons (since 2016), its most over any 7-year span since 1995-2001 (6)…has won 7 straight and 18 of last 21 G overall, and 9 straight and 20 of last 25 G on the road…current win streak is longest since 6/17-24/18 (7).
AARON CIVALE earned the win in his 2nd start since returning from the Injured List…marked 1st win since 5/20 vs. DET and 1st road win since 10/3/21 at TEX in last year’s season finale…has posted a 3.00 ERA (13 ER/39.0 IP) and .203 opp. BA (29-143) with 6 walks and 39 strikeouts over last 8 starts since 7/8…improves his career record to 21-0 when receiving 3+ runs of support.
STEVEN KWAN hit his first career grand slam and recorded a career-high 5 RBI…the slam gave Cleveland a 10-2 lead in the 8th…10th all-time slam at Globe Life Field, 8th by an opponent…also had 2 singles for his 15th game with 3+ hits this season…had 2 stolen bases for the 1st time in his career, and has been successful in 7 straight steal tries…Kwan in last 9 G: .442/.489/.698/1.187 (19-43), 2 HR, 2 3B, 2B, 10 RBI.
GABRIEL ARIAS drove in 2 runs on his 1st career triple/extra-base hit in the 6th inning, extending the Cleveland lead to 6-2 after Texas had cut the deficit to 2 in the bottom of the 5th.
MISCELLANEOUS: Rangers’ 3 errors this afternoon were team’s most in a single game since 9/3 at BOS (also 3)…Stephen Kwan’s 8th inning grand slam off Joe Barlow was the 4th slam allowed by Rangers pitchers in 2022 (last Aledmys Diaz off Martin Perez on 8/9 at HOU)…Cleveland swept Texas for the 1st time since 4/3-5/17 at Globe Life Park to open that season.
