The Sun Shined On The Guardians At The Right Time

On an overcast evening with a 6:40PM, the sun peaked through the clouds just as Jose Ramirez was rocketing right to Spencer Steer, who never saw it. Instead of an out, the line drive keyed a two-run first inning for the Cleveland Guardians.

The fortuitous sun carried the visitors to a 3-0 win over the Reds.

The Guardians jumped in front of the Reds in the first inning against Graham Ashcraft. Steven Kwan opened the game with a single. Ramirez, who finished his suspension for his fight with Tim Anderson, hit a line drive right at Spencer Steer in left. Steer lost the ball in the sun and Ramirez recorded a double. Andres Gimenez struck out but Kole Colhoun dumped a two-run single to left.

Cleveland added a run in the seventh inning. Myles Straw reached base for the third time with a single. Straw stole second base. Kwan's second hit of the game scored Straw to make it 3-0.

The Reds had baserunners against Guardian starting left hander Logan Allen. The Reds had at least one base runner in five of Allen's six innings, including the leadoff batter in three of them but didn't score.

"He (Logan Allen) has been on a bit of a roll for them, pitching well," David Bell said. "He came in today with five different pitches was able to change speed, threw strikes. He went right after our hitters. It made for tough at bats all night."

The best chance the Reds had against Allen when Matt McLain led off the sixth with a walk. Elly De La Cruz hit an infield single but was thrown out at second trying to advance on Steer's fly to deep right. Will Brennan threw De La Cruz out on a close play.

"That's always a players instinct in situations like that," Bell said. "We definitely encourage it. On fly balls to the outfield, there are a lot of missed opportunities tagging up. It's a reaction that base runners have. They get out too far. You know the ball off the bat if you read that is not going to be a home run, we encourage guys to break back and tag up and we can score a lot of runs that way. I thought the thought process that Elly had right there was perfect. He may have just been a hair late getting back and got a late start but the idea is right."

Enyl De Los Santos struck out the first two batters in the seventh but former Guardian Will Benson doubled to the gap in left center batting for Tyler Stephenson. Joey Votto struck out batting for T J Hopkins. 

Alex Young relieved Ashcraft in the eighth. Ashcraft pitched seven innings, allowing three runs on seven hits and two walks. He struck out two. Keeping the score right where it was. 

"It was a great start he (Graham Ashcraft) has been on a roll as well for us," Bell said. "Maybe he wasn't as sharp tonight. Having said that if that ball doesn't get lost in the sun that first inning it could have been a shutout."

Trevor Stephan pitched a perfect eighth for Cleveland.

Steer greeted Guardian closer Emmanuel Clase with a single to open the ninth. Henry Ramos struck out. Christian Encarnacion-Strand popped out to second baseman Andres Gimenez. Friedl flew to center as Clase earned his 32nd save.