Post-Game Recap

3 Things Around The Game

1 – Naylor!

Josh Naylor had a big day, going 2 for 4 with a home run and three RBIs.  Josh is now batting .329 on the season with six home runs and 17 RBIs all in the top 25 in MLB.

2 – Middle of the order

The middle of the order for the Guardians brought in all six RBIs for Cleveland on Saturday. Josh, Jose Ramirez, Ramon Laureano, and Tyler Freeman combined 6 for 16.  If you include the top of the lineup with Steven Kwan, who went 4 for 5, and David Fry, who went 2 for 4, the top six of the lineup went 12 for 25.

3 – The bullpen keeps rolling

The Guardians bullpen keeps trucking along, pitching 3 2/3 innings of shutout baseball only giving up one hit with Emmanuel Clase earning his 6th save of the season. 

Game Summary

Josh Naylor smashed a two-run homer, igniting a vibrant celebration as he struck his helmet with the bat, propelling the Cleveland Guardians to a decisive 6-3 triumph over the Oakland Athletics on Saturday night.

Naylor’s powerful shot in the fifth inning, off the pitching of Alex Wood, brought home Steven Kwan, thrusting Cleveland ahead 4-2. The spirited slugger greeted the ball’s flight over the right-center fence with a vigorous two-handed tap to his head, then emphatically spiked the bat onto the grass.

In the following innings, Naylor continued to make his mark, once again bringing in Kwan with an RBI single off Austin Adams.

Kwan showcased his prowess with two doubles and two singles, marking his sixth three-hit game in MLB—a league-leading feat. José Ramírez and Ramón Laureano contributed RBI doubles for the Guardians, who currently boast the best record in the American League at 15-6.

Under the guidance of rookie manager Stephen Vogt, Cleveland has surged, securing victories in six of their last seven games and achieving their best start through 21 games since 1999.

Starting pitcher Logan Allen (3-0) held firm through five innings, conceding three runs on five hits. Emmanuel Clase sealed the deal in the ninth, securing his sixth save in eight opportunities.

Max Schuemann leveled the score 2-2 in the fifth inning with his inaugural big league hit, triggering an emotional outpouring of celebration from his family in the stands. Schuemann, a 26-year-old who debuted on April 12, also notched a stolen base.

Ryan Noda added a solo homer in the fifth, while Shea Langeliers contributed a sacrifice fly in the sixth for Oakland.

Wood (0-2) endured a challenging outing, surrendering four runs over five innings, which slightly lowered his ERA to 7.89 across five starts.

The scoring opened early in the first inning, courtesy of sharp RBI doubles by Ramírez and Laureano, with the latter’s hit just grazing inside the third base line. Notably, Laureano spent 5 1/2 years with the Athletics before being claimed off waivers by Cleveland on August 7th.

Trainers Room

Sam Hentges (left middle finger inflammation) worked one scoreless inning, throwing 10 strikes in 14 pitches, in his initial rehab outing for Double-A Akron on Friday.

Up Next

Ross Stripling (0-4, 5.32 ERA) takes on Guardians RHP Tanner Bibee (1-0, 4.82 ERA) in the three-game series finale. Stripling is tied for the major league lead in losses, while Bibee has averaged 4.7 innings and 4.5 strikeouts in his first four starts.

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