Young Guards trying to work through collective slump in clutch

CLEVELAND -- Kyle Manzardo’s frustration was clear to anyone inside Progressive Field in the ninth inning on Tuesday night, when the first baseman stepped to the plate as the Guardians’ potential winning run. Rather than a Cleveland celebration, the lasting image was Manzardo twisting his body in agony and disappointment.

Manzardo stepped up to face Yankees right-hander Fernando Cruz, who permitted a leadoff walk to Chase DeLauter. On the fifth pitch of the sequence, Cruz threw a 1-2 splitter, which third-base umpire Nate Tomlinson deemed Manzardo swung at on a check-swing appeal.

After Tomlinson made his call, Manzardo bent his torso backward, cocked his head to the sky and appeared to let out a few choice words as he returned to the Guardians’ dugout.

“I haven't seen any videos, so I don't know if I did or didn't go,” Manzardo said. “But more just disappointed in myself there. … I was seeing him good. Just went into the at-bat not wanting to follow him under the zone with that splitter, obviously. Just disappointed in myself.”

DeLauter was one of many baserunners the Guardians stranded on Tuesday in a 3-2 loss to the Yankees. Cleveland went 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position and left 13 runners on base, amid a trend that has reared itself recently during a tough stretch for the Guardians.

The Guardians have lost 10 of their past 16 games. They've hit .120 (9-for-75) with RISP in the 10 losses, compared to .340 (18-for-53) in the six wins.

“We had a lot of opportunities tonight and weren't able to cash in,” manager Stephen Vogt said. “I don't think anything's trending. We just have to continue to focus, work and learn. We’ve got a lot of young hitters that are learning, and we're going to keep helping them.”

The Guardians have embraced giving their young talent an opportunity to make an impact at the big league level this season, and there have been encouraging developments. DeLauter and Travis Bazzana have emerged as everyday players. Brayan Rocchio is having a breakout season, and Angel Martínez is tied with José Ramírez for the team lead with 10 home runs.

The other side of that coin is that every player will go through highs and lows, including young guys who are getting accustomed to The Show. Bazzana is 4-for-37 (.108) with 11 strikeouts and three walks over his past nine games. He went 0-for-4 with one walk and two strikeouts on Tuesday.

DeLauter went 1-for-4 with a walk and an RBI single. He entered the day hitting .197 (15-for-76) with 18 strikeouts and four walks over his previous 20 games, though he has now hit safely in four straight by going 5-for-18.

“It's the big leagues,” Vogt said this week. “The book only gets thicker on you as you stick around longer, and you have to continue to make adjustments and stay stubborn to what makes you great. I think sometimes as a young player, you can think yourself into a little change that turns into a big change over time, and that's what we're trying to avoid.

“It's OK to have a tough week. It's OK to have a rough month. You look at any good player, they're going to have a month where their numbers aren't up where they normally are. It's how we power through that.”

That’s true for any player of any service time, and the Guardians had opportunities aplenty on Tuesday. One came in the fifth, when Cleveland called for Steven Kwan to bunt with runners on the corners and one out. Kwan got it down, but pitcher Paul Blackburn corralled the ball and tagged Manzardo out halfway to home plate.

“In that instance, we're just supposed to get the bunt down, let the play develop,” Kwan said. “With [Blackburn’s] sinkers, too, we're bunting toward third instead of first. He just made a great play on that.”

Kwan grounded out to lead off the eighth, but Daniel Schneemann (single) and Rocchio (walk) reached to set the table for the top of the order. Bazzana struck out on three pitches against Cruz, chasing a splitter in the dirt, and Ramírez lined out to center fielder Trent Grisham.

Results when hitting with runners in scoring position can have organic tides. The Guardians’ focus is making sure they don’t get swept up in the waves.

“I think it's just leadership at the top,” Kwan said, “where guys like José and Hedgey [Austin Hedges] are making sure that we're focused on the next game. Don't let young guys get in a rut. I think that’s a big thing, is making sure our young guys who have contributed continue to do the same thing and don't let themselves get too in their heads.

“I think as long as we do that, we’ll be in a good spot.”