For the first time in the 2026 season, the Cleveland Guardians have lost two consecutive games. To this point, they had been able to always bounce back with a win after a defeat.
On Wednesday, that wasn’t the case, as the bullpen allowed four costly runs in a 5-3 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. The unit has been scuffling in recent games after a hot start.
Heading home.#GuardsBall pic.twitter.com/cGjmcLai8i
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) April 15, 2026
It was the end of an unsuccessful road trip for Cleveland, which lost four of six games against the Atlanta Braves and the Cardinals.
Starting pitcher Slade Cecconi allowed a lot of traffic on the basepaths, but held the Cardinals in check with just one run. The three hits and five walks he conceded meant that he couldn’t give the Guardians a deep outing, though.
Cleveland’s bullpen had to enter the game in the fifth inning, much earlier than anticipated. Unfortunately for the Guardians, Connor Brogdon wasn’t sharp at all in his second inning of action.
With a 1-1 tie in the scoreboard and after taking care of the fifth with no issues, Brogdon loaded the bases with one out in the sixth, which prompted manager Stephen Vogt to remove him.
Tim Herrin entered the game and immediately lost the lead on a JJ Wetherholt sac fly. Alec Burleson then broke things open with a two-run single off the Guardians’ lefty.
The Guardians would cut the deficit to one run in the top of the seventh, thanks to a two-run double from catcher Bo Naylor. Church, however, would hit an RBI double in the bottom half of the inning to give St. Louis a two-run cushion, this time off Matt Festa.
Naylor drives in two with a double!#GuardsBall pic.twitter.com/v4Uckejkk0
— GuardsTV (@GuardsTV) April 15, 2026
Perhaps Vogt didn’t want to use Shawn Armstrong on Wednesday after pitching him on Tuesday, but Brogdon shouldn’t have been allowed to continue after giving up the first single in his second inning of action. Hunter Gaddis, who didn’t pitch on Tuesday, was right there, as was Peyton Pallette.
Kyle Manzardo and Daniel Schneemann had two hits each, and Naylor drove in two runs. The Cardinals stole four bases off him without being caught, though.
The Guardians will now return home to face the Baltimore Orioles in a four-game set from Thursday to Sunday. Rookie Parker Messick (2-0, 0.51 ERA) will take the ball for Cleveland at Progressive Field.
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