Through his first 10 starts with Cleveland, Ben Lively has a 2.59 ERA. Over the last 100 years, its the seventh lowest ERA through a pitcher’s first 10 starts with Cleveland.
Gaylord Perry (1.69) has the lowest in that span from 1972, followed closely by another 1972 acquisition Milt Wilcox.
Here are the nine pitchers with an ERA under 3.00 through their first 10 starts with Cleveland over the last 50 seasons:
Over the past three games, Gavin Williams, Tanner Bibee and Logan Allen have combined to allow just one run in 19 innings of work.
Their one run allowed is the fewest combined runs allowed by rookie starting pitchers in three consecutive games in franchise history, breaking a record set by Bibee, Allen and Xzavion Curry earlier this year.
- 2023 – Gavin Williams, Tanner Bibee, Logan Allen (1 run, 19 IP)
- 2023 – Tanner Bibee, Xzavion Curry, Logan Allen (2 runs, 14 IP)
- 2002 – Cliff Lee, Brian Tallet, Ricardo Rodriguez (4 runs, 15.1 IP)
- 1910 – Harry Fanwell, George Kahler, Willie Mitchell (4 runs. 29 IP)
On a more depressing note, it was just the third time in franchise history the team won just one game in a three-game span in which its starting pitchers allowed one or fewer runs. The other instances:
Jose Ramirez belted two home runs on Sunday afternoon as Cleveland shutout the White Sox behind Aaron Civale and the bullpen.
Dating back to 2000, it was the 16th time a Cleveland hitter had a multi-homer game in a shutout, and the fifth time it has involved Ramirez.
Here’s the rest list with the hitter, followed by the starting pitcher:
In the third game of the season, Aaron Civale and the Guardians shut out the Mariners 2-0, avenging the 3-0 loss on Opening Day.
It’s just the sixth time in franchise history they have been shut out and pitched a shutout within the first three games of the season.
The others:
- 2015 vs Astros
- 1992 vs Orioles
- 1962 vs Red Sox
- 1946 vs White Sox
- 1943 vs Tigers
In 1992, the opening series at Camden Series, all three games were shutouts. Rick Sutcliffe shut out the Tribe on Opening Day, Dave Otto and Rod Nichols combined on a shutout of the O’s and Ben McDonald wrapped up the series with another shutout.
Excluding the WC round (which obviously made this more common), Aaron Civale is the 4th pitcher in MLB history to make postseason debut as a SP in a winner-take all game, joining:
1980 – Marty Bystrom, PHI (won)
1974 – Doyle Alexander, BAL (lost)
1924 – Curly Ogden, WSH (won)