Manzardo hits two of Guardians' six homers
Coeur d'Alene Press | UPDATED 48 minutes AGO
SUE OGROCKI/Associated Press Kyle Manzardo of the Cleveland Guardians watches his home run in the fifth inning against the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday in Cleveland.
From wire services and local reports
CLEVELAND — Kyle Manzardo homered twice and the Cleveland Guardians connected a season-high six times in a 10-3 blowout of the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday.
Manzardo, the former Lake City High and Washington State star, had a two-run homer in the third inning and a solo shot in the fifth.
Manzardo's shot off the right-field foul pole in the third gave Cleveland a 4-1 lead. His second homer made it 6-2.
Manzardo's two-run homer in the third came shortly after the first baseman's fielding gaffe when he failed to catch a foul pop hit by Cincinnati's Matt McLain. Manzardo couldn't locate the ball, and it didn't help that he forgot to put on sunglasses he had perched on the brim of his cap.
“Not a good look,” he quipped.
Manzardo said the mistake motivated him and he added a solo homer in the fifth.
Manzardo agreed with manager Stephen Vogt's assessment that the Guardians might be growing into a team that can flex its muscles. Martinez, who hit 11 homers last season and has four in his last five games, already has nine this year to lead Cleveland.
“Yeah, we’ve got a lot of guys who haven’t necessarily done it for a super long time," said Manzardo, whose batting average is up to .223. "But a lot have gotten these big league reps and you’re seeing different guys kind of blossom into who they are, which is really cool.”
Speaking of cool, for one of the first times all season, the Guardians didn't have to also contend with Cleveland's fickle weather. The game-time temperature of 79 degrees was the warmest this season at Progressive Field, which plays much differently when the wind isn't blowing in off Lake Erie.
“The ball really flies here when it’s warm out,” said Manzardo, who had his fourth career multi-homer game. "When it’s a little bit cooler, you’re going to have a tricky time.”
Manzardo has played in Cleveland long enough to know that when it gets warmer, bats begin heating up as well.
“You show up knowing you can hit the ball in the air and have that confidence that it’s going to travel,” he said. "I don’t check the weather in Cleveland. Stuff pops up here all the time.”