CLEVELAND, OH — In what could be described as a possible American League Championship preview, the MLB-best Cleveland Guardians (66-42) made a big statement in a 8-4 win over the visiting Baltimore Orioles (65-45)
Cleveland, which came into the key four-game series vs. the Orioles off of a series win in Philadelphia vs the NL-leading Phillies got a solid outing from RHP Carlos Carrasco who struck out five batters in 4.1 innings, allowed one earned run, one hit and walked four.
After Baltimore took a 1-0 lead on a fielder’s choice grounded into by INF Ryan Mountcastle, that scored Ryan O’ Hearn, the Guardians scored the next eight runs unanswered, chasing Orioles starter Dean Kremer (4-7, 4.20 ERA), who finished allowing four earned runs on six hits, two walks and two strikeouts.
After tying the game at 1-1 on a bases loaded walk issued to shortstop Brayan Rocchio that scored Josh Naylor in the bottom of the second inning, Cleveland broke the game wide open on a Austin Hedges sacrifice fly to right, scoring DH David Fry making it 2-1.
Naylor put the game out of reach with a two-run double in the bottom of the fifth inning to make it 4-1, ending Kremer’s night before an announced crowd of 35,137 that came out to see some fireworks.
Luckily for Guardians fans, they got plenty of both from the best team in baseball, that happens to be theirs.
Cleveland would tack on four more runs courtesy of a RBI single from Austin Hedges, a bases-loaded walk scoring Angel Martinez and a two-run RBI sacrifice fly from Jose Ramirez, scoring Roochio and Hedges in a four-run barrage by the Guards.
Baltimore struck late on a RBI single from 2B Jackson Holliday, a RBI single by LF Colton Cowser and a sacrifice fly by Anthony Santander.
RHP Cade Smith picked up the win for the Guardians, finishing with three strikeouts in 1.2 innings pitched.