BALTIMORE (AP) — Logan Allen has joined some impressive company with this start to his career in Cleveland.
Allen allowed three hits in seven outstanding innings, and the Guardians broke through for four runs in the seventh on their way to a 5-0 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Monday. The rookie left-hander struck out a career-high 10 in his seventh big league start.
He's the second pitcher in franchise history to have eight-plus strikeouts in at least three of his first seven career games. Herb Score did it in five of his first seven.
“You want to see them pound the zone, not beat themselves, and just learn,” manager Terry Francona said. “Because you've never faced the Orioles before, never been here probably before. Just compete. Don't back down, and just keep trying to get better, and he's doing a really good job of that.”
Allen became the eighth pitcher in franchise history to have a 10-strikeout outing in one of his first seven games. That list includes Score, Bob Feller and Luis Tiant, among others.
Allen (2-2) also pitched the most innings and allowed the fewest hits in his career — and this was his first scoreless outing.
“I think that’s something that all of our starters pride ourselves on, is trying to make it as easy as we can for the bullpen when we do turn it over to them,” Allen said. “Being able to get through seven clean was big.”
Will Brennan had three hits for the Guardians, who have won three of four. The Orioles will need to win their next two games against Cleveland just to go .500 on this six-game homestand — after they went 5-1 on a trip to play the Blue Jays and Yankees.
Enyel De Los Santos and Trevor Stephan finished a five-hitter, Cleveland's fifth shutout this season. Baltimore has been blanked four times, all in May.
Tyler Wells (3-2) allowed a run and four hits in six innings, striking out seven without a walk, but the moment he exited, the game fell apart for the Orioles. With the Guardians up 1-0, Myles Straw reached on a one-out infield chopper in the seventh, and then the next three batters — Brennan, Cam Gallagher and Steven Kwan — hit grounders that found holes.
Gallagher's single brought in a run, and Kwan's grounder to the right of second base slipped through for a double that made it 3-0. Amed Rosario hit a grounder at second baseman Adam Frazier, but his throw home was poor and got past catcher James McCann, allowing two runs to score. Frazier was charged with an error.
Gallagher opened the scoring with a fifth-inning sacrifice fly.
These may have been the last two teams you'd expect to play a lopsided game. Baltimore has had a major league-high 48 games decided by four runs or fewer. Cleveland's had 41 games decided by three or fewer — also the most in baseball.
This was only the second time the Guardians have won by more than three runs. They beat Seattle 9-4 on March 31.
Orioles: The day went from bad to worse for Baltimore when OF Cedric Mullins pulled up to a near-stop while running out an infield grounder in the eighth. Mullins left the game with a strain in his right groin area. ... C Adley Rutschman had the day off. It was the first time this season he's missed a full game.
Kyle Gibson (6-3) starts for Baltimore on Tuesday night against Cleveland's Cal Quantrill (2-3).