CLEVELAND, Ohio — Tanner Bibee put forth one of his best performances of the season, pitching seven effective innings Saturday night. Unfortunately for the Guardians, it wasn’t enough, as they fell to the Phillies 7-1 in front of a packed crowd at Progressive Field.
Despite Bibee’s effort, where he allowed only one run on five hits while striking out three, the night belonged to Phillies’ lefty Ranger Suarez, who was sharp in his second start of the season. The Guardians unable to capitalize offensively, only managed to get a few hits off Suarez, who held them scoreless across his seven innings with five strikeouts.
The game’s lone run against Bibee came in the fourth inning, when Kyle Schwarber delivered a clutch single, not only securing the lead for the Phillies but also extending his remarkable on-base streak to 45 consecutive games. Schwarber’s performance has been impressive since the 2016 World Series, where he first made his mark against the Guardians.
The Guardians’ lineup, which had been booming with 32 runs over their previous four games, struggled to mount any significant offense against Suarez. Manager Stephen Vogt acknowledged the team’s struggles, stating, “We needed to be better offensively to win that game.”
The game shifted dramatically in the eighth inning when the Phillies erupted for six runs. After Biebee was relieved by Jakob Junis, the Phillies took advantage, with Trea Turner, Bryce Harper, and Kyle Schwarber contributing to what became a decisive inning for the visitors.
In a positive note for the Guardians, Carlos Santana managed to avoid a shutout by driving in a run with a sacrifice fly in the ninth, marking a notable career milestone with his 1,100th RBI. Santana joins an elite list of active players to reach that milestone, showcasing his longevity and effectiveness as a switch-hitter in MLB.
As the Guardians look ahead, they will send RHP Luis Ortiz to the mound against RHP Zack Wheeler on Sunday. Fans will be hoping for a turnaround against a Phillies team that has been in strong form recently, winning 10 of their last 13 games.