Jose Ramirez hit a solo homer in the sixth inning for his 1,000th career RBI after rookie Travis Bazzana went deep in the fifth, fueling the host Cleveland Guardians to a 5-3 victory over the Athletics on Friday.
The Guardians (79-75) have won three in a row to move a game ahead of the second-place Chicago White Sox (78-76) in the American League Central. The White Sox lost 11-8 to the Detroit Tigers later Friday night.
Cleveland’s Brayan Rocchio ripped a two-run double in the fourth inning and scored on Ramirez’s RBI single.
Joey Cantillo (10-9) relieved Guardians rookie Daniel Espino after one inning and scattered two hits over six shutout frames. Cantillo struck out five and walked one.
Hunter Gaddis bridged the gap to Cade Smith, who struck out two batters in the ninth to secure his 38th save of the season.
Zack Gelof belted a three-run homer in the first inning for the Athletics (61-93), who extended their losing skid to four games.
After Cleveland scored three runs to forge a 3-3 tie in the fourth inning, the Guardians took the lead for good in the fifth.
Bazzana deposited a 2-0 fastball from Scott Blewett (2-1) over the wall in center field to give Cleveland a 4-3 lead. The homer was Bazzana’s 15th of the season and sixth in his past 11 games.
One day after celebrating his 34th birthday, Ramirez joined Earl Averill (1,084) as the only players to record at least 1,000 RBIs with the franchise. Ramirez sent a 0-1 slider from Seth Johnson over the wall in right field for his 12th homer of the season and first since Aug. 30.
Blewett permitted one run on one hit in 1 2/3 innings.
Henry Bolte and Lawrence each walked before Gelof deposited a 0-1 slider from Espino over the wall in center field, lifting the Athletics to a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Gelof has 19 homers on the season, two in his past five games.
Cleveland chased A’s starter Mason Barnett after tying the game at 3-3 in the fourth inning. Patrick Bailey and rookie Petey Halpin each singled, and both scored on Rocchio’s double into the right field corner. Rocchio came home on a single to center by Ramirez.
–Field Level Media
