Guardians fall to Mariners 7-2 on June 14 despite homers from Jones & Kwan. A 7th-inning bullpen collapse spoiled a 38-game on-base streak for José Ramírez.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
It was a night that started with a bang and ended with a thud. For a few innings, it looked like the Cleveland Guardians had the formula: solid starting pitching and timely power. But a disastrous seventh inning from the bullpen flipped the script, leading to a frustrating 7-2 defeat at the hands of the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park.
José Ramírez drew a walk in the sixth inning, pushing his on-base streak to an American League-best 38 consecutive games.
The third inning was pure electricity. Nolan Jones and Steven Kwan went back-to-back with solo shots, giving Cleveland an early 2-0 lead and a jolt of energy. On the mound, starter Gavin Williams battled, keeping the Guardians in the game for six innings while allowing three runs. But the wheels came off in the seventh. The Mariners erupted for four runs against the Cleveland bullpen, with Tim Herrin taking the loss after a two-run single by Dominic Canzone broke the game open. What began with promise ended in a decisive Seattle victory.
Beyond the box score, the most memorable moment of the game was a terrifying one. In the bottom of the fifth, reliever Cade Smith was struck in the forehead by a scorching line drive off the bat of Rowdy Tellez. The entire ballpark held its breath. In a remarkable display of toughness, Smith was checked out, stayed on the mound, and proceeded to finish a scoreless inning. While the team will surely monitor him closely, his grit was an incredible sight to behold.
Even in a tough loss, there are always positives to find. The ever-consistent José Ramírez extended his on-base streak to 38 games with a walk, a mark that leads the AL and trails only Kyle Schwarber in all of baseball. It's a testament to his elite plate discipline. Looking further ahead, the future continues to look bright, as the organization's strong farm system was recognized again with Francisco Álvarez cracking the top-100 prospects list. It's a reminder that the pipeline of homegrown talent remains robust.
One loss, no matter how frustrating, doesn't define a season. The Guardians will look to salvage the series finale tomorrow, needing a short memory and a bounce-back performance from the bullpen. With the offense showing flashes of power and J-Ram continuing his historic streak, the pieces are there. Now it's about putting them all together for a full nine innings and getting back in the win column.
