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Guardians’ Ben Lively Bids for Better Showing in Rematch vs. Jays
A week ago, Ben Lively endured his worst outing of an otherwise stellar season. It came at the hands of the Toronto Blue Jays. The Cleveland right-hander aims for a better performance in his second career encounter against the visiting Blue Jays. He’ll also try to help the Cleveland Guardians to a fourth consecutive victory and series win on Saturday.
Lively’s Season So Far
One of the biggest surprises for the majors in 2024 has been Lively, who is 6-3 with a 3.02 ERA. The 32-year-old Lively had a 2.59 earned run average in his first season with Cleveland, which included 10 starts in which he did not allow more than three runs in a game. Nonetheless, on Sunday at Toronto, Energetic was accused of four sudden spikes in demand for six hits with three strolls in a season-low four innings of the Guardians’ 7-6 misfortune. The excursion came after Energetic left his past beginning at Miami on June 8 with what the club considered “general snugness.”
“I was falling behind and I had to throw the ball over the plate,” said Lively, who said he physically felt good after Sunday’s start. “It makes me more mad about (Sunday) because I love to go (deep into starts). It’s what I’m supposed to do. Just kind of focus on that.”
Guardians’ Momentum
The good news for Lively is that the Guardians have momentum after they opened this series with a 7-1 victory. Cleveland has won three straight after losing three in a row and is 24-9 at home.
“When our guys are up there fighting, doing anything they can to help the team win, that’s what gets us going,” Guardians catcher Austin Hedges told Bally Sports Cleveland.
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Toronto’s Recent Struggles
Toronto star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had a pair of hits against Lively, and ex-Guardian Ernie Clement clubbed a two-run homer off him last week. Guerrero homered among his two hits on Friday and is batting .320 in his last seven games. However, Toronto has been outscored 25-10 during a four-game losing streak after totaling 12 runs to win the final two contests of a three-game home set against Cleveland.
“You get back after it,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “Hopefully we can get back on track.”
Pitching Matchup
Booked Blue Jays starter Jose Berrios (6-5, 3.13 Period) didn’t permit a go through the initial four innings against Vivacious and the Gatekeepers on Sunday. He then, at that point, surrendered two runs in the fifth and a two-run homer to newbie Daniel Schneemann in his 6th and last inning of work. The right-hander gave up more than three earned runs just twice in 15 starts this season.
Cleveland’s Steven Kwan and Will Brennan each went 2-for-3 against Berrios last weekend. Kwan, batting .387 on the season, had his 14-game hitting streak end on Friday but he’s reached base in 26 consecutive contests. Meanwhile, teammate and Toronto-area native Josh Naylor, who had two hits and two RBIs on Friday, is 6-for-13 with a homer against Berrios. Berrios is 6-5 with a 4.80 ERA in 18 career starts against Cleveland.
Key Players to Watch
Prized Toronto prospect Orelvis Martinez could be in the starting lineup again for this contest after going 1-for-3 in his major-league debut Friday. Martinez’s performance will be closely watched as he looks to make an impact early in his career.
Conclusion
As Ben Enthusiastic takes the hill against the Toronto Blue Jays, he means to return quickly from his past trip and proceed with major areas of strength for him. The Guardians, riding a rush of energy, hope to expand their series of wins and secure another series win. This game promises to be an exciting contest with key players on both sides performing well and a competitive pitching matchup.
