Guardians' Gavin Williams: Strikes out seven in no-decision

August 9, 2026 - 06:31

Cleveland Guardians right-hander Gavin Williams turned in another sharp outing on Tuesday, but the bullpen could not hold the lead, leaving him with a no-decision in a 4-3 loss to the visiting Kansas City Royals. Williams worked six innings, allowing just two runs on four hits while striking out seven batters and walking two. He threw 91 pitches, with 58 going for strikes, and consistently kept the Royals off balance with a sharp fastball and a biting curve.

The 25-year-old has now posted a 3.38 ERA across his last four starts, a stretch that suggests he is settling into a rhythm after a rough patch in early May. His command was particularly crisp in the middle frames, where he retired nine straight hitters at one point. The only damage came on a two-run homer in the fourth inning, a mistake fastball that catcher Salvador Perez drove out to left.

Cleveland grabbed a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the sixth, but reliever Nick Sandlin gave up a solo shot in the seventh and then a go-ahead single in the eighth. Williams was not involved in the decision, but his performance kept the Guardians in the game and gave the offense a chance. He has now struck out at least six in three of his last five starts, and his strikeout rate has climbed to 9.4 per nine innings on the season.

The Guardians will look to bounce back in the series finale on Wednesday. Williams is expected to make his next start early next week, likely against the Chicago White Sox.