The Cleveland Guardians advanced to the ALDS after defeating the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday, winning 1-0 in 15 innings.
The wildly low-scoring affair featured an excellent performance from former Gonzaga pitcher Eli Morgan.
Morgan entered the game in the tenth inning with a runner on third base. He promptly procured a lineout from catcher Francisco Mejia to end the threat. Morgan came out for the 11th inning, retiring Jose Siri on a flyout before striking out Yandy Diaz and Wander Franco.
Cleveland ultimately won the game in the bottom of the 15th inning when Oscar Gonzalez led off the inning with a walk off home run.
Morgan was one of three Zags in the big leagues this season, alongside Seattle’s Marco Gonzales and San Francisco’s Taylor Jones.
Morgan made 18 starts for the Guardians as rookie in 2021, but transitioned into a bullpen role in 2022. He made 50 appearances, throwing 66.2 innings and posting a 5-3 record with a 3.38 ERA (2.90 WHIP) along with an outstanding 28.1% strikeout rate and an equally impressive 5.1% walk rate.
While Gonzales has yet to pitch for the Mariners in the playoffs, he’s likely going to play a role at some point if the team is able to advance to the ALDS. If so, perhaps a Morgan vs. Gonzales Zag matchup will take place – a very cool moment made even better by the playoff atmosphere.
Host – Locked on Zags Podcast
Writer – Ducks Wire