Guardians pitchers roughed up in lopsided loss to Marlins

CLEVELAND — Balls were jumping out of Progressive Field at an alarming rate Wednesday. Unfortunately for the Guardians, their previously stingy pitching staff was exploited for 17 hits, including four home runs and nine extra-base hits in their 13-4 blowout loss to the Miami Marlins before 19,738 at Progressive Field. Marlins center fielder Jakob Marsee had a career night at Cleveland's expense with four hits, including two home runs, a double and a career-high seven RBIs. His two-run poke in the fifth off reliever Kolby Allard broke a 4-4 tie. It was Marsee's first career multi-homer game. The seven RBIs tied a franchise record for Miami, last accomplished by Adam Duvall in 2021. Guardians starter Gavin Williams, who flirted with Cleveland's first no-hitter in 44 years in his last start, was roughed up early and often and allowed two colossal blasts in his three ineffective innings of work. Marlins leadoff hitter Xavier Edwards smashed Williams' sixth pitch an estimated 402 feet into the right-center field bleachers. It was his second homer of the season and third of his career. Five batters later, Marsee deposited a Williams fastball an estimated 403 feet for his second homer. The three-run clout extended Miami's lead to 4-0 before the Guardians even came to bat. It was that kind of night for Cleveland. Williams, who left with a no-decision, threw 75 pitches, 45 for strikes. After throwing 33 pitches in the first inning, the chances of him going deep into the game were slim. He struggled through three innings for his shortest stint since his two-inning outing against Minnesota on April 26. Williams allowed five hits, four runs (all earned) and one walk. He struck out four. Perhaps the 126-pitch marathon against the New York Mets on Aug. 6 took something out of him. "I don't think so," Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. "He felt good all week. It's not fair to bring up last week. They just got to him." Williams refused to say the outing against the Mets affected him on Wednesday, even though he said, "My whole body felt a little fatigued. No excuses. I should have pitched better than I did." The Marlins sat on his fastball and didn't offer at his curve. Vogt said it made sense to get him out of the game after three innings. "Just to throw that many pitches in three straight innings, you don't want to take a chance," he said. "It's a credit to them. They swung the bats tonight. Unfortunately, things didn't go our way tonight." Marlins third baseman Graham Pauley added a solo homer in the sixth off reliever Matt Festa, which was part of a five-run inning that blew the game wide open. Festa's outing was one that he'd soon forget. In 1 1/3 innings, he allowed five hits and five runs (all earned). His ERA ballooned from 4.14 to 5.17 after his outing. The big blast for the Guardians was a three-run shot by Gabriel Arias in the fourth inning that knotted the score at 4-4. It was his ninth homer of the season and it traveled an estimated 433 feet deep into the left-field bleachers. "That was a phenomenal at-bat," Vogt said. "I mean, (he) fouled off some really good pitches and then got one and didn't miss it. Gabby's had great bats for us throughout the year. (It's) just really impressive to see him continue to grow and continue to get better." Guardians leadoff hitter Steven Kwan snapped a 0-for-12 skid with his 10th homer of the season. It traveled an estimated 368 feet. It was his sixth career leadoff homer and first of the season. The Guardians now have seven players with 10 or more home runs. Things got so out of whack that catcher Austin Hedges pitched the ninth for Cleveland and Carlos Santana played third base. Hedges pitched a scoreless ninth in his seventh career appearance on the mound and second of the season. Santana last played third base in 2018 while he was a member of the Philadelphia Phillies. Cleveland second baseman Brayan Rocchio singled in the eighth inning, which extended his hitting streak to a career-high five games in a row. He also hit in five in a row from Aug. 1-5. Allard (2-2) suffered the loss for the Guardians. It was Cleveland's worst loss since an 11-1 setback to Minnesota on April 28. It was also the sixth time they've allowed 10 or more runs this season.Right-hander Eury Perez (5-3) struck out eight batters and earned the mound victory for the Marlins. Contact Bob Finnan at rfinnan30@gmail.com.