MLB1h ago
Guardians Turn to Road Form in Bid to Extend ALCS Stay
Cleveland trails 3-2 but carries a strong postseason road mark into Game 6 at Tropicana Field after Sunday's home defeat.
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Familiar Spot After Late Rally
The Guardians enter Game 6 with a 3-2 series deficit following a 3-1 loss. They own a 3-1 road record this postseason and have shown the ability to rally from behind. After sitting 60-65 and five and a half games out on August 17, they won eight of nine and went 16-9 in September to claim the division by one game. In the AL Division Series they dropped the first two at home before taking the next two on the road and finishing with a 2-0 victory in Game 5.
Pitching Questions Surface
With no travel day after the rainout, Cleveland must decide on a starter. Foster Griffin worked three and two thirds innings in relief during Game 4 and allowed one run on four hits. Gavin Williams is unavailable after throwing two runs over five innings in Game 3. Parker Messick lasted two innings in Game 5, giving up two runs on five hits and three walks while throwing 34 strikes out of 57 pitches. The bullpen then limited further damage by allowing one run across seven innings. Messick reached 200 innings this season, the first rookie to do so since 2014.
Road Record Offers Hope
Cleveland stands 47-38 away from home this year including the postseason and 43-44 at Progressive Field. Teams in a 3-2 hole after five ALCS games have advanced seven times in 23 attempts, with the most recent successes coming from Texas in 2023 and Toronto the year before. Outfielder Steven Kwan recorded two of the team's five hits and threw out a runner at the plate while making a leaping catch at the wall.
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