The Cleveland Guardians and Seattle Mariners faced off for the last game of the opening series.
Slade Cecconi continued the trend of the starting pitching looking a touch sloppy in their first appearances of the season. In the first inning, Cecconi allowed two base runners via HBP and a walk but was able to shut down the next three. His pitch count steadily climbed, going into the 3rd inning with 39 pitches. However, Slade and the defense were able to keep things scoreless until the bottom of the fourth.
In the fourth Cecconi got two quick outs, but then gave up a double that was poorly fielded by CJ Kayfus. After the runner ended up on 3rd after a wild pitch, another walk and a single to right put the Mariners on the board with a run. Unfortunately Brendon Donovan, after being HBP during his first two at bats, then hit a home run to right. Slade got the strikeout on Cal Raleigh to retire the side. The bottom of the 5th became more of the same. A misplay in the outfield, a walk, and a couple of hits put the Mariners up 6-0.
Peyton Pallette came on in relief in the 6th inning, continuing the trend of hit + misplay in left field = Mariners adding another run. Colin Holderman broke up this pattern with a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the 7th, but in the 8th Julio Rodríguez reached on a fielding error by Brayan Rocchio. Holderman then allowed a walk and a single that scored the Julio.
The Guardians struggled against Mariners righty Emerson Hancock whose sweeper and four seamer proved unanswerable for Cleveland’s offense. Going into the 6th inning, the only thing keeping Hancock from a perfect game was a José Ramírez walk in the top of the 1st inning and CJ Kayfus being hit by pitch in the 6th.
Chase DeLauter finally broke up the no hitter in the top of the 7th inning with a single off of reliever Cooper Criswell. Daniel Schneemann was the only other Cleveland batter to get a hit – a single in the top of the 8th.
Slade Cecconi finished the night having gone 4.1IP, 6H, 6R, 3BB, 5Ks.
