The Guardians just needed one more escape.
There was no mistaking the ferocity with which they and the White Sox approached Sunday’s rubber match. Cleveland was irritated with Chicago shortstop Tim Anderson on Friday night after he shoved youngster Brayan Rocchio’s hand off second base. On Saturday night, this erupted into a bench-clearing brawl between Anderson and Jose Ramrez. Players stated they could sense the energy in the room was a touch higher than normal for the series finale matinée.
In the fifth inning, the Guardians rallied with a two-run homer by Gabriel Arias and an RBI single by Myles Straw. That advantage carried them into the top of the ninth inning for closer Emmanuel Clase, who had been dismissed the night before in the midst of the riot. However, with two outs, two throwing errors by third baseman Rocchio, which led to two misplays by first baseman Kole Calhoun, culminated in a 5-3 defeat at Progressive Field.
Cleveland knew it wouldn’t be able to deploy its first-string defence. Josh Naylor, the club’s regular first baseman, is on the injured list with a right oblique strain. According to manager Terry Francona, utility player David Fry was unavailable owing to a strained hamstring. The Guardians began Calhoun at first base despite the fact that he hasn’t played there since 2015. Francona discussed the potential of playing first with the 35-year-old veteran when the organisation acquired him on Friday.
“‘You tell me,’ I responded. “I don’t want to do anything unfair to a player,” Francona said on Friday. “But he’s willing to try, and I think that’s good.”
With a one-run advantage in the ninth, the Guardians contacted Calhoun and inquired about maybe sending in a defensive substitute, despite their limited alternatives.
To do so, they would have had to start prospect José Tena at shortstop and shift Arias to first base, or they would have had to be ready to give up the designated hitter berth by putting Ramrez in at third, moving Rocchio from third to short, and then moving Arias to first.
“I’m not sure you’re improving yourself by moving your shortstop to a different position,” Francona remarked.
Calhoun was determined to remain at home.
“I was asked before the inning if I wanted them to take me out, and I said no,” Calhoun said. “I made the decision to go back out there for the ninth inning.”
White Sox right fielder Oscar Colás whacked a ground ball just in front of the plate that trickled up the third-base line with runners on first and second with two outs. Rocchio rushed and made a quick throw on the run to record the out, but the ball bounced just in front of Calhoun, who couldn’t catch it.
Rocchio retrieved a hard shot to his backhand with the bases loaded, but he raced to make the throw across the diamond and one-hopped Calhoun at first again. And once again, he was unable to come up with it.
“The first one was a really slow chopper,” Rocchio said, speaking via translator Agustin Rivero. “I felt like I was rushing to get it, but I didn’t have enough time to make a better throw.” “I felt like the second one was a little easier grounder, but that’s part of the game sometimes.”
“Both of those balls must be caught. “Both of those win the game,” stated Calhoun. “Rocchio made two excellent plays that must be completed.” That is all my fault. So, with the game down to just two plays, I make one of them and we win. It’s difficult.”
The Guardians’ season series versus the White Sox ended on a sour note. The next regular-season meeting between these two teams will be Cleveland’s home opener on April 8, 2024. Perhaps the tension will have subsided by then, but for the time being, the Guardians have said that they have been able to utilise the instability of this series as fuel to unify its lineup even more than before.
Calhoun has only been a club member for three days. Despite the weight of Sunday’s defeat, he’s learnt a great deal about his new club.
“These guys are fighters over here,” Calhoun observed. “[We have] a young ballclub that is hungry.” Today, we should have won the series. Unfortunately, such was not the case. But I like the brawl in [the clubhouse], and I enjoy going out there and playing with them.”
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