The Cleveland Guardians have lost just one series at home this season. They haven’t lost even once when Ben Lively is on the mound in Cleveland.
Despite all that, the San Diego Padres — looking to build momentum from a needed victory that evened this three-game set — will try to win a third straight road series in Sunday’s rubber match at Cleveland.
Lively (8-5, 3.58 ERA) is amid a career resurgence and has been a major bright spot for the Guardians’ disjointed starting rotation. He allowed a pair of solo homers, one other hit and two walks while striking out seven over 5 1/3 innings of a 2-0 loss at Tampa Bay last Sunday.
“I’m feeling strong,” said Lively, who’s win total and 16 starts are both career highs. “I’m feeling 23 instead of 32.”
The right-hander has been especially good at home, going 5-0 with a 2.55 ERA for the Guardians. The team is 6-0 in those such contests started by Lively. He’s received more than five runs of support per game at home, as well.
Even after managing just a Tyler Freeman triple in Saturday’s 7-0 defeat to the Padres, who lost by the same score in Friday’s opener, American League Central-leading Cleveland is 31-12 at home. Its lone home series loss came while dropping two of three to the New York Yankees on April 13-14.
Lively has never faced San Diego during any of the five seasons he’s pitched in the majors. However, the Padres’ Xander Bogaerts is 2-for-3 with two doubles against him and teammate David Peralta is 2-for-5.
Peralta and Jake Cronenworth each homered during a four-run eighth inning on Saturday for San Diego, which won for just the second time in nine games. However, the Padres are amid a 6-3 stretch on the road, where they won their previous two sets against Boston and Texas.
“It’s a sprint now. Every day is the most important game of the season,” said Cronenworth, who has three hits in this series.
After Matt Waldron allowed one run in six innings Friday and Dylan Cease was brilliant while giving up that one hit and striking out 10 in seven innings Saturday, scheduled San Diego starter Michael King (7-6, 3.41) looks to continue this trend of success.
In his first season with the Padres and as a full-time starter, King has allowed two or fewer earned runs in eight of his last nine starts. He yielded two runs — one earned — and three hits, plus a walk and hit batter, while striking out nine over six innings of his most recent outing, a 2-0 loss at home to the Seattle Mariners on July 10.
“I want to put up zeros every time,” a never-satisfied King said.
“So, I’ve got to do better.”
The right-hander also is 4-0 with a 1.77 ERA in his last six road starts. And he has yet to surrender run to the Guardians in his career, allowing three hits and two walks with 18 strikeouts over 10 2/3 innings spanning five career appearances — all in relief while pitching for the Yankees.
Cleveland All-Stars Jose Ramirez and Josh Naylor are a combined 2-for-5 versus King, but Steven Kwan is 0-for-3 with a strikeout.
Kwan also went 0-for-3 on Saturday as his average dropped to .351. He last went back-to-back games without a hit on April 21 and 23.
–Field Level Media
