BALTIMORE — José Ramírez hit a tiebreaking homer in the sixth inning, and the Cleveland Guardians won their sixth straight game, 3-2 over the Baltimore Orioles on Monday night.
Tanner Bibee (6-2) allowed one earned run in six innings for the Guardians, who were able to protect their slim lead without using highly worked closer Emmanuel Clase. Tim Herrin and Hunter Gaddis worked the seventh and eighth, and Scott Barlow struck out the side in the ninth for his second save of the year.
“I've had calmer games,” manager Stephen Vogt said. “But we've talked about it all year, that's the beauty of this bullpen is every one of them can pitch in leverage. Mr. Barlow's had his fair share of saves as well, so he's in a very comfortable situation for him.”
Since taking two of three in a big series at Yankee Stadium, Baltimore has dropped four in a row for the first time this year. Rookie Cade Povich (0-2) steadied himself after a 31-pitch first inning, but with the score tied at 2 in the sixth, Ramírez hit a 431-foot homer to center field.
It was Ramírez's 236th home run, tying Manny Ramirez for third on the team's career list.
This was the first meeting between these two franchises in which both were at least 20 games over .500, according to information from the Elias Sports Bureau via the Guardians. Cleveland (50-26) extended its lead in the AL Central to eight games over Minnesota, and the Orioles (49-29) fell to two games behind the AL East-leading Yankees.
Cleveland's Steven Kwan went 1 for 3, lowering his average to .389.
Ramírez and Baltimore's Ryan O'Hearn traded RBI singles in the first. Bo Naylor's run-scoring double in the second gave the Guardians a 2-1 lead, but Anthony Santander hit a sacrifice fly in the third. Santander also threw out Cleveland's Daniel Schneemann at the plate from right field in the fourth.
“That was just a fun baseball play,” Vogt said. “Obviously I wish the result would have been different for us, but it was a great play.”
TRAINER'S ROOM
Guardians: UT David Fry (right elbow inflammation) started Monday as the DH. ... RHP Gavin Williams (elbow) is expected to make a minor league start Wednesday. ... Cleveland optioned RHP Darren McCaughan and INF Angel Martinez to Triple-A Columbus. The Guardians recalled RHP Xzavion Curry from Columbus and activated INF Gabriel Arias from the family medical emergency list. Arias was ejected after striking out in the ninth.
Orioles: Manager Brandon Hyde said RHP Dean Kremer (triceps strain) will probably make another rehab start after pitching 2/3 of an inning for Triple-A Norfolk on Saturday. ... Baltimore recalled OF prospect Heston Kjerstad, the No. 2 pick in the 2020 draft, from Norfolk and designated INF/OF Nick Maton for assignment. Kjerstad doubled and singled in his first two plate appearances. He also had a 13-pitch at-bat in the eighth that ended in a flyout.
UP NEXT
Cleveland's Logan Allen (8-3) faces Baltimore's Cole Irvin (6-3) in a matchup of lefties Tuesday night.
