CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Nick Sandlin’s first start as a professional was a lot like his 56 other appearances this season. He took the mound in the first game of Monday’s doubleheader against the Royals, recorded three outs and walked back to the dugout. He was done for the game.
More Guardians coverage Guardians’ AL Central lead shrinks as Bobby Witt Jr.’s late HR gives Royals a 4-3 win Red Sox catcher becomes first player in MLB history to play for two teams in one game Guardians come first for José Ramírez, but 40-40 season is beckoning The difference being that he was throwing the first pitch of the game instead of coming into a high-leverage situation in the middle or late innings. The Guardians decided to use Sandlin in the role of “opener” against the Royals.
In fact, he was scheduled to do the same thing on June 5 against the Royals, but that game was rained out, which resulted in Monday’s doubleheader. Nick Sandlin made the first start of his career after 197 previous relief appearances, and pitched a scoreless inning. He said the preparation for the outing was a little different than normal, and he enjoyed knowing exactly when he would throw in the game.
#ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/BWXtROhnQY Sandlin’s inning came and went fairly quietly.
He struck out Michael Massey and Vinnie Pasquantino, walked Bobby Witt Jr. and Salvador Perez and retired MJ Melendez on foul pop to first. He threw 22 pitches, 11 for strikes.
That’s not a good ratio between balls and strikes, but he didn’t allow a run. But it cost him second inning of work as the Guardians lost to Kansas City, 4-3, on a eight-inning leadoff homer by Bobby Witt Jr. off Hunter Gaddis.
The odd thing about the first game was that the Guardians, while not coming out and saying it, dropped plenty of hints that rookie Joey Cantillo would relieve Sandlin, or another early-inning reliever, and pitch several innings. That did not happen. Cantillo instead relieved Hunter Gaddis in the eighth and pitched the final 1 2/3 innings.
“We had a plan in place,” said manager Stephen Vogt. “I felt we executed it the plan pretty close to how we wanted to. It just didn’t work.
” The last time Sandlin started a game of any kind was during his junior year at Southern Mississippi. He was 10-0 that year with a 1.06 ERA.
“Personally, it’s been a while for me,” said Sandlin, when asked about starting. “It’s a little different in preparation. But once the game starts, you try to treat it the same as any other outing.
” Sandlin did like knowing exactly what inning he was going to pitch. After all, the game couldn’t start until he threw the first pitch at 1:10 p.m.
to Michael Masssey. Relievers do not have the luxury. They don’t go to work until the bullpen phone rings.
“I like knowing when you’re going to throw,” said Sandlin. “It’s better than throwing the 18th inning today when you’ve been trying to stay loose for sixth or seven hours.” Trade complete The Guardians sent infielder Nate Furman to the Giants to complete their trade-deadline deal for Alex Cobb.
Cleveland drafted Furman in the fourth round in 2022 out of the University of North Carolina. He has split the season between Class AA Akron and Class A Lake County, Furman hit .294 (57 for 194) with seven homers and 32 RBI for Akron and Lake County.
In 50 games, the 5-8, 180-pound left-handed hitter stole 10 bases in 12 attempts. Regarding Cobb, Vogt said his bullpen session went well on Sunday. He’s scheduled to throw to batters on Tuesday.
He’s bgeen on the injured list with a torn fingernail on his right index finger. Guardians right-hander Connor Gillispie optioned after pitching two scoreless innings in the first game of Monday's doubleheader against the Royals. John Kuntz, cleveland.
com Thanks for coming Connor Gillispie was part of the bullpen bucket brigade in the first game on Monday. He held the Royals scoreless in the sixth and seventh inning strking out seven. Jhonkensy Noel helped him out with a nice running catch against the right field wall against Maikel Garcia to end the sixth.
What was Garcia’s reward? After the game he was optioned to Class AAA Columbus so left-hander Logan Allen could be added to the 26-man roster. Allen will start Monday’s second game against the Royals. Why is this so hard? The Guardians went into Monday’s doubleheader having been swept in three doubleheaders this year.
A reporter asked Vogt what makes doubleheaders so difficult for his team. “I’m not sure, you got any ideas?” said Vogt. “It’s one of those things, I mean we’ve played three of then and haven’t won a game, and I think for us we don’t know (why).
” Headed into Monday’s second game, they were 0-7 in doubleheader games this season. Jhonkensy Noel runs down the ball in right and smashes into the wall to make the catch and end the top of the sixth inning against Kansas City in game one! #ForTheLand | @CleGuardians pic.twitter.
com/sytrb4ttaw Finally The Guardians have scored three of fewer runs in 19 of their last 23 games. For the season, they are 12-44 when they score three or fewer runs. .
.Gaddis, who is having a big year in the bullpen, has allowed homers in his last two appearances. Witt’s game-winning homer was just the third earned run Gaddis has allowed at home in 30 2/3 innings.
. .Lane Thomas, who has had some problems in center field, saved a run for Scott Barlow with a leaping catch against the wall to end the fifth on a drive by Pasquantino.
.The catch of the game belonged to KC’s MJ Melendez, who cost Jhonkensy Noel extra bases and possibly two RBI with a diving catch in the the left field corner in the fifth. If you or a loved one has questions and needs to talk to a professional about gambling, call the Ohio Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-589-9966 or the National Council on Program Gambling Helpline (NCPG) at 1-800-522-4700 or visit 1800gambler.
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