The Cleveland Guardians made franchise history Friday night, and it came from an unlikely source.
Kyle Manzardo’s pinch-hit home run in the ninth inning lifted Cleveland to a 1-0 victory over Philadelphia, marking the first time in the franchise’s 123-year history that they’ve won a 1-0 game on a pinch-hit homer. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, that’s never happened since the club’s founding in 1901.
The timing couldn’t be better for Manzardo, who’s been clawing his way back from a rough start to the season.
The first baseman was hitting under .200 at the start of May with just two home runs. Since then, he’s turned things around – three more homers and a batting average that’s climbed to .228. It’s his fifth home run of the season, but easily the most meaningful.
That’s the first time in franchise history — which dates to 1901 — in which the Guardians won a game 1-0 with the run coming on a pinch-hit home run, per the Elias Sports Bureau.
What makes this different is the context. The Guardians have been around since before movies had sound, since before Teddy Roosevelt held office. They’ve seen pretty much everything baseball has to offer. Finding firsts after 123 years? That doesn’t happen often.
The win pushed Cleveland to 31-22 and extended their AL Central lead to four games. More importantly, it’s another sign that this offense is starting to come together in ways it hasn’t in recent memory.
The Guards currently rank 9th in RBIs league-wide – a position this franchise hasn’t been used to. That turnaround can be attributed partly to rookies like Chase DeLauter and Travis Bazzana, who are both in contention for Rookie of the Year. If Cleveland’s going to ride this momentum through October, Manzardo’s bat becomes crucial.
He wasn’t the only standout Friday night. Gavin Williams dominated over eight innings, striking out 11 batters while allowing just four hits in the pitcher’s duel.
From where I’m sitting, Manzardo’s bounce back couldn’t come at a better time. The Guardians are building something here, and moments like Friday’s walk-off show they’ve got the pieces to make noise this season.
All things considered, making franchise history after 123 years says something about both the rarity of the moment and the potential of this team.
