Rookie Gavin Williams strikes out 12; Guardians’ offense a no-how in 3-1 loss to Toronto

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Gavin Williams could have used a little help from his friends.

On Monday night that felt like rain, the rookie right-hander threw seven scoreless innings in the ninth and best start of his big league career. Unfortunately, the Guardians’ offense continued its post trading-deadline snoozefest in a 3-1 loss to the Blue Jays at Progressive Field.

Craig Biggio’s two-run homer off Enyel De Los Santos (4-2) in the eighth inning with one out was the game winner. Toronto added an insurance run off Nick Sandlin in the ninth.

Williams struck out 12 and allowed one hit in his seven innings. He is the first Cleveland rookie to strike out 12 batters in a game since Luis Tiant struck out 12 in the second game of a doubleheader against Kansas City on Aug. 18, 1964.

The 6-6 Williams is the only rookie in franchise history to strike out 12 and allow one or fewer hits in a game.

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Cleveland made it 2-1 in the eighth on Bo Naylor’s single to score rookie Brayan Rocchio. With one out and runners on the corners, however, Steven Kwan hit into an inning-ending double play. Biggio, whose two-run homer gave Toronto the lead, turned the double play from second base as he tagged Naylor and beat Kwan to first base by a step to keep the tying run from scoring.

The Guards loaded the bases with two out in the ninth, but Jordan Hicks retired rookie Brayan Rocchio on a grounder to short to end it. The Guardians challenged the out call at first, but the call on the field stood.

The Guardians have scored 17 runs in their last seven games, an average of 2.4 per game. They are 1-6 in those games and 1-5 since the Aug. 1 trading deadline when Amed Rosario, Aaron Civale and Josh Bell were traded in a span of seven days.

The only hit Williams allowed was a double by Vladimir Guerrero Jr., with two out in the first.

The 6-6 Williams had at least one strikeout in each inning. He had three in the first and two in the second, third and fifth.

Lefty Hyun Jin Ryu no-hit Cleveland through four innings in just his second start of the season. In June of 2022 Ryu underwent Tommy John surgery on his left elbow.

Oscar Gonzalez, with two out in the fourth, sent a comebacker to Ryu. It bounced off the Toronto pitcher, but he got off the mound quickly, fielded the ball and threw Gonzalez out to end the inning. But as he slowed his momentum, he crumbled to the ground with what Toronto officials called a right knee contusion.

Ryu walked off the field after being treated by a trainer, but he was done for the night. Jay Jackon started the fifth in his place.

Jackson started the fifth with two outs before Rocchio beat out an infield hit to second for Cleveland’s first hit.

The Guardians were no-hit by Houston’s Framber Valdez on Aug. 1. On Saturday they were held hitless by the White Sox right-hander Michael Kopech through five innings.

Williams started the game with a strikeout of Davis Schneider and ended his night with a strikeout of Danny Jansen to end the seventh.

Cleveland’s No. 1 pick in 2021 has been building to a start like this. The key was keeping his pitch to a minimum.

In his last four starts Williams has allowed three earned runs in 20 innings with 24 strikeouts 11 walks and 13 hits. In that stretch he did not get past the fifith inning in the first three starts because he averaged 87 pitches per start.

Monday night he needed 90 pitches to go seven innings.

Next: RHP Tanner Bibee (7-2, 3.14) vs. LHP Yusei Kikuchi (9-3, 3.87) Tuesday at 7:10 p.m. Bally Sports Great Lakes, WTAM, WMMS and the Guardians radio network will carry the game.

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