Jhonkensy Noel had three hits, including a three-run homer, and scored three times to help the Cleveland Guardians hammer the visiting Texas Rangers 13-5 on Saturday evening.
Jose Ramirez, Josh Naylor and Bo Naylor also homered and Will Brennan and Daniel Schneemann each had two hits and an RBI for the Guardians, who ended a three-game skid in the second game of the three-game series.
Cleveland starter Ben Lively (11-8) recovered after a lengthy first inning and allowed three runs (two earned) and five hits in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out four and walked one.
Texas right-hander Jon Gray (5-5) left before he could record an out in the third inning. He allowed seven runs (six earned) on six hits and two walks in two-plus innings. He struck out one.
Wyatt Langford had three hits and scored two runs, and Marcus Semien had two hits and two RBIs for Texas, which had won four of five.
Lively needed 33 pitches to get through the first inning, but just 56 to get through the next five.
After the Rangers scored an unearned run in the first, Josh Naylor tied it 1-1 with an RBI groundout in the bottom of the inning.
Gray walked No. 9 hitter Brayan Rocchio with two outs in the second, bringing up Steven Kwan, who came through with a two-run double into the gap in right-center field to extend the lead to 3-1.
Andres Gimenez then looped an RBI single to center to make it 4-1.
Noel came up with two aboard in the third and blasted the first pitch from Gray deep over the fence in left to increase the lead to 7-1.
Rocchio walked later in the same inning, went from first to third on a passed ball and scored on a wild pitch to make it 8-1.
Noel doubled in the fifth and scored on a single by Schneemann to make it 9-1.
Ramirez and Josh Naylor hit back-to-back homers to start the sixth and extend the lead to 11-1. It was their 33rd and 28th of the season, respectively.
Lively departed after surrendering an RBI double to Leody Taveras with two outs in the seventh that made it 11-2. Scott Barlow entered and gave up an RBI single to Semien to cut it to 11-3.
Bo Naylor led off the seventh with a home run to make it 12-3. Lane Thomas doubled and scored on a single by Brennan for a 13-3 lead in the eighth.
Carson Kelly had an RBI double in the ninth for the Rangers, and another run came home on Semien’s groundout.
–Field Level Media