The Cleveland Guardians snapped a three-game losing streak in dramatic fashion Wednesday night, edging the Kansas City Royals 3-1 behind a stellar pitching performance and a clutch hit from rookie Chase DeLauter. The win also halted Kansas City's five-game winning streak, giving the Guardians a much-needed boost in the standings.
Joey Cantillo (2-1) delivered a solid start, allowing just one run on three hits and three walks over five innings. He was backed by a dominant bullpen effort: Matt Festa, Erik Sabrowski, and Hunter Gaddis combined for three hitless innings, setting the stage for closer Cade Smith. Smith worked around a one-out single by Vinnie Pasquantino in the ninth to notch his ninth save in 11 opportunities, punctuating the night with a controversial strike call on a 1-2 curveball to Isaac Collins. Plate umpire Edwin Moscoso initially ruled it a ball, but catcher Austin Hedges challenged the call, and the automated ball-strike system overturned it for a called third strike. It was one of six successful challenges in the game.
Kansas City struck first in the third inning when Salvador Perez lifted a sacrifice fly to score Bobby Witt Jr., giving the Royals an early 1-0 lead. But the Guardians answered in the fifth. With the bases loaded and two outs against reliever Luinder Avila (0-2), DeLauter punched a two-run single to center field, putting Cleveland ahead for good. David Fry added an insurance run with a run-scoring groundout in the eighth inning.
The Royals' starter Cole Ragans exited after three scoreless innings due to left triceps and elbow soreness, a blow to Kansas City's hopes of extending their streak. The Guardians' offense struggled with runners in scoring position, going just 1-for-10, but it was enough to secure the win.
Looking ahead, the four-game series concludes Thursday with the Guardians sending right-hander Slade Cecconi (1-4, 6.56 ERA) to the mound against Royals righty Seth Lugo (1-1, 2.68 ERA). For fans looking to gear up like their favorite players, this game showcased the importance of a strong bullpen and timely hitting—two elements every team needs for a playoff push.