David Fry, Bo Naylor and Jose Ramirez each homered and drove in three runs, fueling the host Cleveland Guardians to a 10-3 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday.
Fry belted a three-run homer in the third inning and Naylor did the same in the seventh, marking the latter’s second three-run blast in as many games. Ramirez launched a two-run shot in the seventh for his team-leading 28th homer of the season and fourth in his last three games.
Josh Naylor had an RBI single and joined Steven Kwan, Lane Thomas and Ramirez with two hits for the American League Central-leading Guardians, who have won four in a row and seven of their last nine.
Ben Lively (10-6) won his second straight start after allowing two runs on four hits while striking out four over six innings.
Anthony Santander belted his team-leading 32nd homer and Gunnar Henderson had an RBI double for the Orioles, who lost the opener of their 10-game road trip and dropped into a first-place tie in the AL East with the New York Yankees.
Colton Cowser extended his hitting streak to 14 games with a leadoff double in the first inning. He promptly came around to score on Henderson’s RBI double to center field to give Baltimore a 1-0 lead.
Cleveland responded quickly and claimed a 2-1 advantage, with Ramirez’s sacrifice fly plating Kwan and Josh Naylor’s RBI single scoring Thomas.
The Guardians extended their lead to 5-1 following a two-out rally in the third. Ramirez ripped a double and Naylor walked before Fry deposited a 3-2 sinker from Trevor Rogers (2-10) over the wall in left-center field. Fry’s homer was his ninth of the season and first since May 31 versus the Washington Nationals.
Santander responded by sending a 0-1 sinker from Lively just inside the right field foul pole for his fifth homer in his last nine games.
Rogers’ troubles continued in his first start since being acquired from the Miami Marlins. He took the loss after permitting five runs on six hits in 4 1/3 innings.
–Field Level Media