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Guardians stop skid behind Ramirez’s homerun

Guardians stop skid behind Ramirez’s homerun

CLEVELAND — Jose Ramirez hit a home run for the first time in July and drove in two runs to help the Cleveland Guardians end their three-game losing streak with a 5-4 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday night.

Ramirez struck out Joey Wentz (0-2) in the fifth inning to help the AL Central-leading Guardians record their third win in 10 games. Ramirez added an RBI single in the sixth.

Cleveland’s 60-40 record through 100 games is the club’s best record since the 1999 team went 60-40. The Guardians are the only AL team this season that has not lost four in a row.

Ramirez’s first home run since June 29 put Cleveland up 3-2 in the fifth inning.

The All-Star third baseman fell behind 2-1 against Wentz, but then hit a fastball over the wall in left for his 24th home run, ending his long-ball drought at 74 plate appearances.

“I’m sure the pressure has been off him,” Guardians Manager Stephen Vogt said. “It was probably the longest stretch of his life without hitting a home run there. This is one of the elite players in the league. He goes through those times.

“Every player on the planet goes through these periods, but if he hits a few nights in a row, he starts to become himself again.”

Steven Kwan and rookie Jhonkensy Noel added solo homers for Cleveland, which has been in an offensive rut for weeks. The Guardians have entered with two or fewer runs in six of their last eight games.

“We played Guardians baseball with a little pop, had some good pitching,” said Kwan, who leads the majors with a .347 average. “We had some situational hitting, some home runs, too. It felt like it was a complete team win. All the Pistons were firing on that one. That’s a good way to get the momentum rolling.”

Wenceel Perez hit a two-run homer for the Tigers, which puts them at 11-4 since July 5.

Trailing 5-2, Detroit scored two runs in the seventh inning on a sacrifice fly and Zach McKinstry’s heads-up baserunning.

McKinstry, who doubled with one out, was on third base and ran alertly to the plate when Guardians reliever Hunter Gaddis tried to grab Matt Vierling from first base, but his throw got stuck under the Detroit center fielder’s body.

Rookie Cade Smith (5-1) threw 1 2/3 innings of no-hits, Scott Barlow stranded the tying run in the eighth and Emmanuel Clase tossed a perfect ninth inning for his league-leading 30th save.

Clase now has 140 saves with Cleveland, passing Bob Wickman for the second-most in club history. Cody Allen (149) holds the team record.

“This is a very tough team to try to win in the last third of the game,” Tigers Manager AJ Hinch said. “This team on the other side, their bullpen is part of the reason they’re in first place.”

Noel tied it 2-2 in the fourth inning with a towering home run into the left field. Noel jumped on the first pitch from Alex Faedo, the second of five pitchers Hinch used in a bullpen game.

Perez put the Tigers ahead 2-1 in the fourth inning with a shot to right-center field after Mark Canha doubled with one out.

Kwan hit Cleveland’s first home run in five games in the third inning.

Vogt became the first Cleveland manager to win 60 of his first 100 games since Al Lopez in 1951 (61-39).

RAYS 4, BLUE JAYS 2 Brandon Lowe hit a two-run home run and Tampa Bay won for the third time in four games, beating Toronto.

RANGERS 3, WHITE SOX 2 Texas right-handed pitcher Jon Gray allowed one run through the eighth inning and retired the last 15 batters he faced. The Rangers defeated the Chicago White Sox.

DIAMONDBACK 6, ROYALS 2 Arizona scored early, with a three-run first inning, and relied on veteran starter Jordan Montgomery to beat Kansas City.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

PADRES 4, NATIONALS 0 Luis Arraez and Jurickson Profar hit home runs on consecutive pitches in the fifth inning and San Diego blanked Washington. Randy Vasquez threw six innings to earn his first win since June 22 for San Diego, which has won three in a row.

INTERLEAGUE

MARLINS 6, ORIOLES 3 Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Nick Gordon each drove in two runs, Jesus Sanchez homered and Kyle Tyler and four relievers held Baltimore scoreless after the third inning to give Miami a win.

METS 3, YANKEES 2 Jeff McNeil continued his sudden surge with a two-run home run that broke the tie in the sixth inning, and the New York Mets held off the New York Yankees in their opening game of the Subway Series.

PHILLIES 3, TWINS 0 Nick Castellanos hit a two-run double to end a three-run ninth inning, and Philadelphia defeated Minnesota. After a scoreless duel between Phillies ace Zack Wheeler and Twins rookie Simeon Woods Richardson, Philadelphia took control in the ninth inning against Minnesota closer Jhoan Duran.

RED SOX 6, ROCKIES 0 Tyler O’Neill hit two home runs, Cooper Criswell threw seven shutout innings and Boston beat Colorado to end a four-game losing streak. O’Neill hit a two-run homer in the first inning, then hit an 89-mph sinker off Ty Blach (3-6) 465 feet into the left-field concourse in the third to set the final score.

photo Cleveland Guardians’ Jhonkensy Noel celebrates his double during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Tuesday, July 23, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Nick Cammett)
photo Detroit Tigers’ Zach McKinstry throws out Cleveland Guardians’ Tyler Freeman at first base during the seventh inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, July 23, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Nick Cammett)
photo Cleveland Guardians’ Brayan Rocchio throws out Detroit Tigers’ Gio Urshela at first base during the ninth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, July 23, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Nick Cammett)
photo Dominican Jhonkensy Noel, the Guardianess of Cleveland, celebrated a baby boy on July 23, 2024, before the Tigres in Detroit (AP Photo/Nick Cammett)
photo Cleveland Guardians’ José Ramírez celebrates his solo home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Tuesday, July 23, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Nick Cammett)
photo Cleveland Guardians’ Angel Martínez, left, Daniel Schneemann, right, and Jhonkensy Noel, center, celebrate the team’s victory over the Detroit Tigers during a baseball game, Tuesday, July 23, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Nick Cammett)
photo Cleveland Guardians’ Austin Hedges (L) and reliever Emmanuel Clase celebrate the team’s victory over the Detroit Tigers during a baseball game, Tuesday, July 23, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Nick Cammett)
photo Cleveland Guardians’ Jhonkensy Noel celebrates his solo home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Tuesday, July 23, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Nick Cammett)
photo Cleveland Guardians’ Steven Kwan celebrates his solo home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Tuesday, July 23, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Nick Cammett)