The Cleveland Guardians fell short of a series sweep in Sacramento, dropping a 7-1 decision to the Athletics on Wednesday. After taking the first two games, the Guards couldn't solve former teammate Aaron Civale, who silenced their bats and handed them a tough loss.
Civale was in control from the start, limiting Cleveland to just six baserunners through the first four innings without allowing a single run—a stark contrast to his team's offensive explosion in the previous games. The Guardians finally broke through in the top of the fifth when Chase DeLauter launched a game-tying solo home run to left field, his first of the day.
On the mound, Parker Messick delivered a solid outing for Cleveland, but a costly fifth inning ultimately did him in. The left-hander entered the game having allowed just one home run all season, but he surrendered two more in the bottom of the fifth—including a solo shot to Colby Thomas in the second inning—as the Athletics built a 2-0 lead. After giving up a pair of homers to start the fifth, Messick allowed three consecutive singles before being pulled, with the A's taking a 4-1 advantage. He finished with six hits allowed, four earned runs, no walks, and six strikeouts, suffering his first loss of the season.
Peyton Pallette couldn't keep the game within reach. After striking out Lawrence Butler, he loaded the bases with two walks and a single. A double to deep right field cleared the bases, extending Oakland's lead. Colin Holderman provided some relief, pitching the seventh and eighth innings while allowing three hits and striking out two.
Offensively, the Guardians struggled to generate much beyond DeLauter's solo shot. Travis Bazzana went 2-for-3 with a walk, while DeLauter finished 2-for-4 with his home run and a single. Despite the loss, Cleveland won the series, but they now face a tough test as they head to Kansas City for a four-game set against the Royals, who are coming off an impressive series win over the Seattle Mariners. First pitch is set for tomorrow at 7:40 PM EDT.