Chase DeLauter will be sorry to see the Seattle Mariners leave town.
The Cleveland outfielder, activated from the injured list (fractured rib) Sunday, went 2-for-5 and delivered a tying two-run single in a decisive five-run eighth inning of the 6-5 win. The host Guardians’ comeback victory moved them into a tie with the Chicago White Sox atop the American League’s Central Division.
The Guardians open a three-game home series with the AL West-leading Texas Rangers on Monday.
DeLauter, who was called up by the Guardians in last year’s playoffs, made his regular-season debut this March by hitting four home runs in a four-game series at Seattle.
“It was just great to see him back,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said of DeLauter, who was hurt June 13 crashing into the right-field wall at Progressive Field while trying to make a catch.
It was the same game in which the Guardians’ star third baseman Jose Ramirez (left hamate fracture) and outfielder Angel Martinez (non-displaced left foot fracture) went out.
“Obviously, we’ve missed Chase, just like the other guys,” Vogt said. “For him to come up in that clutch moment was pretty cool. It looked like he hadn’t missed a beat.”
DeLauter, who returned without the benefit of a rehabilitation assignment, said he hasn’t been bothered by baseball activities.
“It’s kind of annoying,” DeLauter said of the injury. “The small things are worse — the coughing, the sneezing. Stuff like that sucks more than getting hot and swinging and running. When I’m hot and moving around, it’s kind of not thinking about it a whole lot. Waking up in the morning, laying down, relaxing — a lot of that stuff’s a little bit uncomfortable.”
Rhys Hoskins followed DeLauter with a tiebreaking two-run double down the left field line. DeLauter dislodged the ball from Seattle catcher Mitch Garver’s mitt on an awkward slide because DeLauter had to avoid Hoskins’ bat on the ground.
That tally proved decisive when the Mariners scored an unearned run in the ninth.
“One of the qualities of Chase that really showed through today was just his poise,” Hoskins said. “Even in those big situations, he’s just the same guy taking the same at-bat. It’s cool to see him lean on that, and I think that kind of lets his talent come out.”
The Rangers swept a four-game series at Toronto to move a half-game ahead of Seattle.
Texas won 3-2 Sunday as right-hander Kumar Rocker pitched six scoreless innings and pinch runner Jarred Kelenic scored from second base on a wild pitch after Josh Jung’s ninth-inning double.
“I was just trying to get out there and give us a chance to win,” Rocker said. “It was big. We came out here and won four games and we’re leaving with a sweep. That was the goal. We fought hard and got it done.”
Rangers left-hander Tyler Alexander (1-1, 2.62 ERA), who earned the save Sunday, was listed by the team as the opener for Monday’s game. Alexander is 2-5 with a 4.19 ERA in 18 career appearances against Cleveland, including three starts.
The Guardians are set to send lefty Parker Messick (7-4, 2.67) to the mound. Messick has lost three of four starts this month, including a 3-2 decision June 5 at Texas when he gave up three runs on five hits over 5 2/3 innings in his only previous appearance against the Rangers.
–Field Level Media
