The Cleveland Baseball Club avoided being swept by the Tampa Bay Rays with a 3-2 win, snapping an 11-game losing streak against the club.
The series between the Cleveland Baseball Club and the Tampa Bay Rays had not been going well through the first three games. Tampa took the first three games with Cleveland facing the possibility of being swept in a four-game series Sunday. Even when things appeared to be heading in that direction, Cleveland rallied late and was able to pull ahead of the Rays and secure the all too elusive victory against Tampa with a slim 3-2 victory. With the win Cleveland snapped an 11-game losing streak against the Rays.
Down by a run in the bottom of the 1st it was Cesar Hernandez who continued his power surge. Hernandez launched a solo home run to tie the game. It was the 17th of the season for Hernandez, a new career-high.
BYE BYE ⚾️ That's 1️⃣7️⃣ homers for Cesar (a new career-high).
@Indians | #OurCLE pic.twitter.com/q3tqz3wmqD
— Bally Sports Cleveland (@BallySportsCLE) July 25, 2021
Scoring for both sides was kept in check until the 6th inning. Former division foe Nelson Cruz stepped into the box and as expected crushed a solo home run to break the 1-1 tie. Tampa would hold onto the lead until the 8th when some magic happened.
Hernandez would start things off with a leadoff single. Amed Rosario would be hit by a pitch in the very next at-bat, setting things up for a potential comeback. Harold Ramirez would drive a ball into right center allowing Hernandez to score the tying run and Rosario to advance to third.
Don't give up, and you might just get up.#OurCLE pic.twitter.com/1eLebdF5Yf
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) July 25, 2021
Bobby Bradley would drive in the tie-breaking run on a sacrifice fly in the very next at-bat.
Now leading 3-2, Emmanuel Clase would come on to close and things went about as well as they could have. Clase needed only 14 pitches to end the game and preserving a much needed win for Cleveland.
Prior to Clase closing the game, Cleveland got an outstanding start from Triston McKenzie. McKenzie woulda allow two runs on five hits with six strikeouts and only one walk in 6 innings. This was easily one of the better performances for McKenzie this season and could be a sign of good things to come from a pitcher who has been consistently inconsistent.
Bryan Shaw would follow McKenzie and allow just one hit on 13 pitches. James Karinchak would get the win in the contest by pitching during the 8th inning which saw Cleveland mount their comeback. Karinchak allowed just one baserunner on a walk in his lone inning of work.
