Steven Kwan’s two-out RBI single in the eighth inning lifted the Cleveland Guardians to a 3-2 win over the visiting Baltimore Orioles 3-2 on Wednesday.
After Baltimore reliever Colin Selby (0-2) retired the first two batters in the eighth, Bo Naylor doubled, and Kwan followed with a liner to left field. Colton Cowser’s throw home bounced past catcher Alex Jackson, allowing Naylor to score.
The Guardians have won 11 of their last 13, including the first three games of the four-game set against the Orioles. Cleveland is 5-1 on a seven-game homestand.
The third Cleveland pitcher, Hunter Gaddis (1-1), was the winner, and Emmanuel Clase gained his 23rd save with a 1-2-3 ninth inning. Selby took his second loss of the series as the Orioles fell for the seventh time in eight games.
Baltimore opened the scoring in the fourth inning when Ryan O’Hearn’s sacrifice fly that brought home Jordan Westburg.
Kyle Manzardo’s single in the bottom of the fourth scored Kwan and Jose Ramirez, giving Cleveland a 2-1 lead. The Guardians didn’t have a baserunner against Zach Eflin until Kwan led off the frame with a walk.
Jackson Holliday opened off the sixth with a solo homer off Guardians starter Slade Cecconi, tying it at 2-all.
Eflin worked five innings, giving up two runs on two hits in his first appearance since June 28. The right-hander struck out five and walked one, throwing 84 pitches in his return from lower back tightness.
Cecconi was denied his third straight victory, pitching six innings and allowing two runs on five hits in a no-decision. The right-hander struck out two and walked a pair.
Bad baserunning by Baltimore short-circuited a potential big inning in the third. With runners on second and third and no outs, Ramon Urias was thrown out at the plate on a grounder to third by Jacob Stallings, and Cedric Mullins was subsequently picked off second base.
–Field Level Media
