Williams (1-4) took the loss Friday in the first game of a doubleheader against the Tigers, giving up three runs on six hits and two walks over five innings. He struck out four.
The rookie right-hander rebounded well after getting tagged for three runs in the first inning, eventually generating 31 called or swinging strikes among his 90 pitches, but the Guardians were never able to close the gap. It's the first time Williams has allowed more than two runs in an outing since his final start before the All-Star break, and he's posted a 2.31 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 44:17 K:BB through 35 innings in the second half. He'll look for a better result in his next start, a home matchup next week against the Dodgers.