The Cleveland Guardians had been scuffling a bit in recent games leading up to their series against the Philadelphia Phillies.
In case you haven’t seen much National League baseball, the Phils are the best team in MLB with a 64-39 record.
So, yes: it’s hard to beat them.
The Guardians, however, played their brand of baseball and beat them 3-1 to open their series on Friday.
With the win, Cleveland cemented its place as the top team in the American League with a 62-41 record.
“That was a great win by the Guardians. They played Cleveland baseball to beat the best team in the league. Cleveland is now 62-41,” Guardians reporter Hayden Grove tweeted.
That was a great win by the Guardians.
They played Cleveland baseball to beat the best team in the league.
Cleveland is now 62-41.#Guardians
— Hayden Grove (@H_Grove) July 27, 2024
They definitely played Cleveland baseball, as Grove states: rock-solid starting pitching, flawless bullpen performance, and opportunistic hitting.
The offense didn’t produce a lot of runs (three), but they did log nine hits and that was enough thanks to Lively’s steadiness.
The right-hander, who has a past with the Phillies, limited them to just one run in six innings, conceding three hits (including a home run to Bryson Stott) and two walks.
He struck out six and took his ERA all the way down to 3.44.
In a year in which Shane Bieber got hurt and Logan Allen, Triston McKenzie, and Xzavion Curry have all been inconsistent, Lively has exceeded even the most optimistic expectations.
Cade Smith, Hunter Gaddis, and Emmanuel Clase, as they usually do, handled business in the late innings to seal the victory for the Guards.
It was a solid night of Guardians baseball, the kind that makes manager Stephen Vogt proud.
They defeated the best team in the league and looked excellent in the process.
NEXT: Guardians Reporter Suggests Young Angels Starter As Trade Option
