BOSTON - The Guardians punched their ticket to the postseason on a night when one swing did all the damage.
Angel Martinez sent a 2-2 changeup from left-hander Ranger Suarez over Pesky’s Pole in the second inning, and that 319-foot shot stood up as the difference in a 1-0 win over the Red Sox on a chilly Thursday night at Fenway Park. It was Martinez’s team-high 18th homer and the kind of blast that rarely leaves the yard at Fenway, let alone becomes the only run of the game.
The Guardians said it was their shortest home run since Edwin Encarnacion’s inside-the-park homer against the Angels on April 2, 2018, at Angel Stadium.
The win gave Cleveland its 83rd victory and guaranteed at least a wild-card berth. Their magic number to reach the postseason had been one entering the night.
There’s still more on the line. Cleveland kept its one-game edge over the White Sox in the AL Central, and its magic number to clinch the division remains three with three games left in the regular season. The White Sox also locked up a postseason spot Thursday afternoon with a win over Kansas City, and the Guardians will open a three-game set against the Royals on Friday night.
Once Martinez delivered the only run, the game turned into a pitching clinic for Cleveland.
Daniel Espino and Joey Cantillo combined for six scoreless innings in their third outing as an opener and bulk starter. Espino set the tone by retiring Boston in order in the first, and Cantillo followed with five shutout frames of his own.
Cantillo has been especially sharp since moving to the bullpen. In three relief appearances, he has thrown 15 scoreless innings with four hits, 20 strikeouts and four walks. That’s a big turnaround from his previous five starts, when he issued 21 walks in 23 1/3 innings.
Boston’s best chance came in the fifth. Ceddanne Rafaele reached when second baseman Travis Bazzana was charged with a throwing error to open the inning, then moved to second on a wild pitch. But Jarren Duran popped up a bunt to Jose Ramirez at third for the first out, Cantillo struck out Trevor Story, and Bazzana finished the inning by throwing out Isiah Kiner-Falefa on a strong play.
Cleveland had a chance to add insurance in the sixth and couldn’t cash in. Ramirez opened the inning with a single off Patrick Sandoval, who had entered in relief of Suarez, and then stole second for his 37th steal.
The Guardians couldn’t bring him around, though. Chase DeLauter struck out, Caleb Durbin made a nice stop and throw on Jo Adell’s grounder, and Martinez grounded out to short.
The bullpen finished the job from there. Hunter Gaddis, Erik Sabrowski and Cade Smith shut Boston down over the final three innings, and Smith struck out the side in order for his 41st save in 46 chances.
Runs were hard to come by all series. Cleveland won the opener 3-2 on Nathaniel Lowe’s ninth-inning sacrifice fly, then dropped the middle game 1-0 on Andruw Monasterio’s seventh-inning single.
The Guardians head to Kauffman Stadium to face the Royals on Friday night. Gavin Williams (14-8, 3.63) will start for Cleveland against Noah Cameron (9-8, 3.92). First pitch is set for 7:40 p.m., with the game on Guardian.TV, WTAM/1100, WMMS 100.7 FM and the Guardians Radio Network.
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