ANAHEIM - The Guardians kept the pressure on in the AL Central and got to .500 for the first time since Aug. 4, riding Parker Messick’s left arm and Austin Hedges’ power to a 4-2 win over the Angels on Monday night.
Cleveland has now won five straight and six of its last seven, with every one of those games coming against second-division opponents. That stretch pulled the Guardians within 2 1/2 games of first-place Chicago in the division and left them tied with Texas for the third wild card spot.
The win pushed Cleveland to 66-66. The Angels dropped to 52-80, and the mood at Angel Stadium turned sour in the late innings as fans chanted, “Sell the Team. Sell The Team” in a direct message to owner Arte Moreno.
Jo Adell was part of the story in his own homecoming. The former Angel drove in his 17th run since being traded on Aug. 3, while also delivering a key hit for Cleveland later in the game.
The Guardians opened the scoring in the third against rookie right-hander George Klassen. Nathaniel Lowe sent a long sacrifice fly to center for a 1-0 lead, finishing an inning that began with Jose Siri robbing Brayan Rocchio of extra bases with a strong catch in right field.
Steven Kwan and Jose Ramirez followed with singles, and Adell then walked to load the bases before Lowe’s RBI, his 11th in 16 games since coming over from the Reds on Aug. 3.
The Angels answered in the fourth after forcing Messick to throw 25 pitches in the inning. Zach Neto and Mike Trout started it with singles, and Trout moved to third when Petey Halpin’s throw went to third in an attempt to catch Neto.
Vaughn Grissom then hit a grounder to Angel Genao, and Trout broke for third thinking Neto was going home. Neto stayed put, and Genao tagged Trout out.
Messick still had work to do, but Moises Ballesteros singled to center to bring in Neto and make it 1-1. From there, Messick settled down and struck out Siri before getting Gustavo Campero to pop out to first.
Cleveland moved back in front in the fifth in a sequence that included Adell. Rocchio reached second when Denzer Guzman couldn’t handle his hard grounder, though Rocchio appeared to hurt his left arm on the slide into second and stayed in the game.
Klassen then retired the next two batters on fly balls, but Adell punched a single through the middle to score Rocchio and make it 2-1. It was Adell’s 18th RBI with Cleveland.
Hedges added the swing that put some breathing room on the scoreboard in the sixth. After Blake Weiman entered with one out and Genao on first following a leadoff walk, Weiman got Halpin out. Hedges then turned a 1-2 pitch into a two-run homer to right-center, his fifth of the season and first since July 24, stretching the lead to 4-1.
Messick finished six innings for his second win in as many starts against the Angels this season. The rookie left-hander allowed one run on three hits, struck out four and walked one. In two starts against Los Angeles this year, he has given up three earned runs in 12 2/3 innings for a 2.13 ERA.
Cade Smith handled a tense ninth for his 34th save in 39 chances. He gave up a sacrifice fly, then watched Kwan sprint to the left-field fence to haul in Cristian Moore’s two-out shot that had a chance to tie the game.
In Other News...
Guardians Winning Streak Just Hit A Lineup Concern Fans Will Feel
The Guardians kept rolling with a 4-2 win over the Angels, stretching their winning streak to five straight and continuing to chip away in the American League standings. It has been the kind of run that keeps a clubhouse loose and a fan base thinking bigger, with Cleveland getting enough timely offense and pitching to keep stacking wins while the race tightens.
Chase DeLauters left hamstring tightness is the one cloud hanging over that momentum, though, and his return date remains to be determined. Cleveland is monitoring him closely as the stretch run builds, and for a team trying to stay hot, even a seemingly small injury can turn into a real test of depth if it lingers. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jays Rotation Problem Could Open A Huge Door For Cleveland
Shane Bieber landing on the 15-day injured list is the latest twist in a postseason race that already had little margin for error. Toronto needed every healthy arm it could get while fighting for the American Leagues final Wild Card spot, and losing Bieber to right teres major inflammation only adds more strain to a rotation that now has to hold up under a lot more pressure.
For Cleveland, it is the kind of development that can matter in the standings even before the teams meet again. The Guardians have spent the season chasing the same October opening as the Blue Jays, and any setback for Torontos pitching staff gives Cleveland a little more breathing room in a race that may come down to the final stretch. [Read more 🡒]
Kahlil Watson Has Given Guardians Fans A Tough Roster Question
Kahlil Watsons first taste of the majors in June gave the Guardians a glimpse of why they were eager to see more. He flashed real potential during his debut, including a pair of notable hitting streaks, and then went right back to producing after being optioned to the Minors. For a young player trying to force his way into a big-league picture, he has done just about everything asked of him on the field.
The problem is the one standing in front of him in Cleveland. The Guardians outfield is crowded enough that even a strong run in the Minors does not guarantee a clear path back, and the wait for another opportunity could stretch much longer than Watson or the fan base would like. It is the sort of roster squeeze that leaves the club with a real decision to make, and leaves Watson stuck trying to turn promise into something the majors can actually fit. [Read more 🡒]