The Cleveland Guardians secured their eighth consecutive victory by defeating the Los Angeles Angels 4-3 on Saturday night. This winning streak marks the longest for Cleveland since their impressive 22-game run in 2017, and it is the first time since 2001 that they have achieved eight straight wins in May.
Despite their remarkable performance, the Guardians have not been able to widen the gap in the AL Central standings. They currently maintain a 1 1/2 game lead over the Kansas City Royals, who have also won eight consecutive games.
Jose Ramirez played a pivotal role in Cleveland's victory, hitting a two-run homer in the fourth inning off Jose Soriano to extend the Guardians' lead to 4-0. Ramirez's home run was his third in the weekend series and his sixth in the last eight games. With 15 home runs and 51 RBIs, Ramirez ranks among the top players in the majors.
Pitcher Bibee, a native of Mission Viejo located near Angel Stadium, earned his first win since April 21 by allowing three runs on six hits and striking out six in six innings. Emmanuel Clase secured his 16th save by closing out the game for Cleveland.
Despite Taylor Ward's three-run homer for the Angels, they fell short as Soriano gave up four runs on four hits. The Angels struggled with missed opportunities and base-running errors, including being caught stealing twice and a crucial out at second base by the Guardians' defense.
Cleveland took an early lead with Tyler Freeman's RBI base hit and Brayan Rocchio scoring on a wild pitch before Ramirez's two-run shot. The Angels responded with three runs in the third inning, but it was not enough to overcome the Guardians' lead.
In injury updates, Cleveland's Steven Kwan showed promising progress by hitting a three-run home run in a minor league game, while the Angels' Mike Trout continues his recovery from a left knee injury.
In the upcoming series finale, Cleveland's Ben Lively will face off against Los Angeles' Reid Detmers in what promises to be an exciting matchup.
Sources: AP MLB
