Guardians not giving up the fight after back-to-back crushing losses to Minnesota
CLEVELAND, Ohio — Back-to-back crushing losses to the Twins have left the Guardians defeated and deflated, but Cleveland’s clubhouse is resolved to persevere over the remaining 23 games of this season. Manager Terry Francona said after Tuesday’s 8-3 loss to Minnesota that the Guardians are not giving up the fight.
“We’re never not going to play,” Francona said. “We certainly didn’t put our best foot forward the last two nights, and I don’t think you can run from what we haven’t done, but until it’s time they make you go home, we keep playing.”
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On the heels of their worst loss of the season Monday, a 20-6 defeat in which they surrendered six home runs, Cleveland fell seven games behind the Twins in the American League Central Division. After pulling within five games one week ago, the Guardians have lost three straight, are now below .500 at home (35-36) and have suffered their 36th loss after holding a lead.
Outfielder Will Brennan collected a pair of hits Tuesday and is 5 for 9 in the series against the Twins. He said Guardians hitters have squared up a few pitches, but the results just have not been not there. Cleveland’s offense is a combined 2 for 20 with eight runners stranded on base over its last two games.
“All you can ask for is that opportunity and we just missed out on that opportunity,” Brennan said Tuesday. “We had guys out there and just couldn’t cash in.”
Tanner Bibee, who allowed two earned runs in five innings, was visibly upset while speaking to reporters following Tuesday’s loss. Bibee has pitched at least five innings in 21 of his first 23 big league starts, but said Tuesday was a hard day all around.
“I mean, just trying to be gritty,” Bibee said. “Nothing in particular was good. Nothing. A lot of stuff was not where it needed to be.”
Part of the frustration, Bibee said, stemmed from the Guardians having proven they can compete with Minnesota in previous meetings. Monday and Tuesday they were simply unable to finish things off.
“I mean, they’re a good team for sure,” Bibee said. “But we’ve shown them that we can beat ‘em. Shown them, we can compete with them.”
Brennan said it was disappointing not only lose the first two games against a team they have beaten six times, but to do so in humiliating fashion makes it harder to swallow.
“It sucks for sure,” Brennan said. “We expect a lot of things out of each other and it definitely sucks, but we’re ball players and we are going to keep our head down and come back tomorrow and trying to salvage a series.”
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