Chase DeLauter delivered a two-run double and had three RBIs, and Patrick Bailey hit a solo homer as the Cleveland Guardians avoided a series sweep with a 5-0 win over the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday afternoon.
Gavin Williams (11-6) worked 5 2/3 innings, striking out 10 while giving up one hit and one walk. It was his fifth consecutive double-digit strikeout game, making him the first pitcher with a streak that long since Shohei Ohtani in 2022.
Hunter Gaddis, Craig Yoho, Matt Festa and Cade Smith finished off the combined two-hitter, which was Cleveland’s first shutout since June 6.
The Guardians, who won for just the third time in 11 games, moved a half-game ahead of the Minnesota Twins for the third and final American League wild-card position with the Twins playing a later game at Seattle Sunday afternoon.
Diamondbacks starter Merrill Kelly (8-9) allowed five runs on eight hits over five innings. The right-hander struck out five and walked four.
The game was delayed for 1 hour and 34 minutes with two outs in the top of the sixth inning.
Williams retired the first 15 batters, nine on strikeouts, before giving up a leadoff single in the sixth to Tim Tawa, one pitch after Tawa attempted to break up the perfect game bid by bunting.
The teams emptied their dugouts and bullpens to argue about the bunt as the tarp was pulled onto the field. Cleveland has not had a no-hitter since May 15, 1981, when Len Barker threw a perfect game against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Bailey’s sixth home run of the season came in the two-run third. DeLauter singled home Petey Halpin four batters later before Kelly got out of the bases-loaded jam without further damage.
DeLauter came through again in the fifth, doubling in Steven Kwan and Jose Ramirez before scoring on Kyle Manzardo’s sharp single. Kwan has reached base in 20 straight games, a season-long streak for any Guardians hitter.
Arizona remained in the second wild-card spot in the National League, albeit now tied with the Philadelphia Phillies in that spot. The Diamondbacks had their four-game win streak snapped, but are a NL-best 14-6 since July 9.
–Field Level Media
