Guardians Sweep Just Put Cleveland Back In A Familiar Race

The Cleveland Guardians' dominant offense powers them to a series sweep over the Colorado Rockies, marking a pivotal moment in their playoff race.

Cleveland left Colorado with everything working. The Guardians wrapped up a three-game sweep at Coors Field on Sunday, beating the Rockies 7-2 and stretching their winning streak to four games. More than the final score, it was another loud statement from an offense that has suddenly started looking dangerous in bunches.

Steven Kwan kept his hot run going by leading off with a single and finishing 2 for 5. That pushed his on-base streak to 45 of his last 50 games, a run that has become one of the steady anchors of Cleveland’s recent surge.

But the day belonged to Chase DeLauter, who turned in the biggest swing performance of the afternoon by going 3 for 4 with two triples. That made him just the fourth Cleveland rookie in franchise history to record multiple doubles or triples in a single game.

It was his third triple of the season, and the first time a Guardians player had two triples in a game since Greg Allen did it in 2019.

After the sweep was secure, Cleveland’s official account captured the moment with a short message:

“Rocky Mountain SWEEP,” the Guardians posted.

The bats got to Rockies starter Tomoyuki Sugano right away, and they never really let up. Sugano came in having won eight of his last 11 decisions, but Cleveland tagged him for five runs on nine hits over three innings. The Guardians sent seven hitters to the plate in each of the first two innings, setting the tone early and forcing Colorado to play from behind almost immediately.

Jo Adell was right in the middle of it, driving in two runs with a single and a double. That gives him 17 RBIs in just 16 games since coming over from the Angels. Nathaniel Lowe also chipped in with a two-out, full-count single off a left-handed reliever, even though he had entered the day with just two hits in 30 at-bats against lefties this season.

On the mound, Foster Griffin handled the middle of the game and earned the win after working five innings. He allowed two runs on five hits and struck out four.

From there, Cleveland’s bullpen took over and shut the door. Craig Yoho, Tim Herrin, Matt Festa and Logan Allen combined to cover the final four innings without giving up a run.

The series as a whole showed just how much the offense has changed over the last few days. Cleveland hit .382 with runners in scoring position against Colorado, a massive turnaround in a spot that had been a problem for most of the season. That kind of production, paired with steady pitching, is exactly why this recent stretch has started to reshape the outlook around the club.

The win moved Cleveland to 65-66 and kept its season pointed in a much better direction after a rough stretch following the All-Star break. With one month left, the Guardians have worked their way back into the playoff conversation.

Next up is Anaheim, where Cleveland opens a three-game series against the Angels on Monday night. Parker Messick gets the start as the Guardians try to carry this momentum into September.

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