Guardians' Parker Messick has rare rough outing

CLEVELAND — Fourteen pitches into Thursday's game, Parker Messick had already surrendered two mammoth home runs. That was notable since the rookie left-hander had allowed only one homer through his first six starts with the Guardians. The onslaught continued for the Detroit Tigers, who belted three home runs in their 4-2 victory over Cleveland before 30,942 at Progressive Field. The teams are now tied atop the AL Central Division with 86-73 records, even though Cleveland holds the tiebreaker, with three games remaining. Messick (3-1, 2.77 ERA) was tagged with the first loss of his major league career. Despite getting hit hard, he kept his composure. "Nothing shakes him," Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. "It doesn't matter the stakes, it doesn't matter the game, he's the same guy every day. We've seen it where he has had starts where he is dominating. He's had starts where he's had to make mid-game adjustments. "(He) had a tough one in Fenway (Sept. 1) but it didn't shake him at all. I love his demeanor, his mindset and his ability to push the pace and attack. When he throws strikes and you work quick, you're going to get quick outs." Designated hitter Jahmar Jones led off the game with a 400-foot shot onto the porch in left field. Two batters later, Wenceel Perez clubbed a 395-foot bomb into the bleachers in left for a 2-0 advantage. Riley Greene led off the fourth with another long ball, this one an estimated 411 feet into right field for his 36th homer of the season. "Three solo shots," Vogt said. "That was it." A Cleveland starting pitcher had not allowed more than two earned runs since Logan Allen on Sept. 4 in Tampa Bay. Messick's poor outing snapped a streak of 19 consecutive starts of two or fewer runs by Guardians starters, the longest in franchise history. Coming into the game, Messick's lone homer allowed was the lowest through six starts for a rookie since Aaron Civale (also one) in 2019 and the first Cleveland lefty since Dick Stigman (none) in 1960. Messick toiled through five innings against the Tigers and allowed six hits, four runs (all earned) and one walk, while striking out seven. The four runs were the most he'd allowed in his seven starts in Cleveland. The 6-foot, 232-pounder threw 89 pitches, 61 for strikes. "They came out aggressive," Messick said. "I made four (mistakes). Three went over the wall." He worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the fifth. Messick struck out Riley Greene for the third out. "I wanted to hold them as long as I could to give us a chance to come back," he said. "We still won the series. That's where we want to be." His six walks are the second fewest by a Guardians pitcher through seven starts and trails only Eli Morgan (five) in 2021.