In a powerful display of resilience, the Athletics roared back to avoid a series sweep, defeating the Cleveland Guardians 7-1 on Sunday. The victory was fueled by a trio of home runs and a stellar pitching performance that kept the Guardians off balance all afternoon.
The fireworks began early when Colby Thomas launched his first home run of the season to lead off the second inning, giving the A's an early 1-0 advantage. The rookie Guardians' batter Chase DeLauter responded in the fifth with a solo shot—his first since April 3—tying the game and extending his hitting streak to eight games. DeLauter was a thorn in Oakland's side all series, going 8-for-11 overall.
But the A's quickly reclaimed momentum. After Messick retired nine straight batters following Thomas's homer, Zack Gelof and Tyler Soderstrom crushed back-to-back home runs to lead off the fifth inning. Gelof's blast was his second of the season, while Soderstrom—who finished 3-for-4—collected his fourth. Singles from Darell Hernaiz, Jeff McNeil, and Brent Rooker added another run, pushing the lead to 4-1 before Messick finally escaped the inning.
McNeil continued his hot streak with his third consecutive multi-hit game, driving in three runs with a two-out double in the seventh inning off reliever Peyton Pallette. The right-hander needed 36 pitches just to get through the frame, as Oakland's offense kept the pressure on.
On the mound, Aaron Civale (3-1) was in control, allowing just one run on seven hits and two walks over six innings. He worked out of jams in the first and third innings, stranding runners at the corners both times. The bullpen trio of Justin Sterner, Mark Leiter Jr., and Joel Kuhnel closed the door with three scoreless innings, each pitching a clean frame.
Messick (3-1) took the loss, surrendering four runs on six hits over five innings. The left-hander had been dominant entering the game, allowing just one homer and 22 hits through his first 36 innings this season. Nick Kurtz went 1-for-4 to extend his on-base streak to 28 games, the longest active run in the majors.
Looking ahead, the Guardians continue their road trip Monday against the Royals, with right-hander Tanner Bibee (0-4, 4.08 ERA) facing Kansas City's Michael Wacha (2-2, 3.13 ERA). Meanwhile, the Athletics travel to face the Phillies on Tuesday, sending right-hander Luis Severino (2-2, 4.46 ERA) to the mound against a yet-to-be-announced starter.