Angel Martinez recorded two of his four RBIs with a double during an eventful ninth inning, in which the AL Central-leading Cleveland Guardians drew six walks and scored five times, to win 12-9 over the host Kansas City Royals on Friday night.
The Royals’ Nate Pearson (2-4) walked four batters in the ninth, including Jose Ramirez with the bases loaded and two out to break a 7-7 tie. Nolan Hoffman then came on and issued consecutive walks to Chase DeLauter and Petey Halpin to make it 10-7.
The Guardians broke things open with Martinez’s two-run double and held on to maintain a one-game division lead over the Chicago White Sox (83-77), who defeated the Colorado Rockies 6-1.
Postseason-bound Cleveland (84-76), which overcame four runs, five hits and four walks allowed over 3 1/3 innings by Gavin Williams, took advantage of 13 walks issued by the Royals to win for the eighth time in nine games.
Kansas City trailed 7-5 in the eighth, when Carter Jensen clubbed his second two-run homer of the night, this time off Hunter Gaddis (6-3). Jac Caglianone had three hits with two RBIs and Salvador Perez added a two-run homer in the ninth for Kansas City (68-92), which is mired in a 6-17 stretch.
The Royals’ Noah Cameron allowed seven runs — six earned — and seven hits with four walks over five innings.
Cleveland’s Steven Kwan opened the game with a walk, then Ramirez reached on third baseman Maikel Garcia’s fielding error. Following a one-out walk to Adell, Martinez grounded a single into left field, scoring two.
However, the Royals got a run back in the bottom of the frame. With one out, Bobby Witt Jr. singled, then scored on Caglianone’s double off the left-field wall.
The Guardians answered with Austin Hedges’ home run. However, Jensen, with a man on, tied things when he lined Williams’ pitch into the right-field seats.
Cleveland regained the lead in the fourth via Ramirez’s sacrifice fly.
The Royals earned their first lead in the bottom of the fourth. John Rave walked and advanced on Kyle Isbel’s sacrifice bunt. After Williams exited and Tim Herrin came on for Cleveland, Rave stole third and scored via Jensen’s flyout. Witt then singled, stole second and scored on Caglianone’s hit to right field.
Cleveland, though, scored three times in the fifth, highlighted by David Fry’s two-run home run.
–Field Level Media
