Guardians use timely hits to fend off Mariners

Andres Gimenez’s two-out, two-run go-ahead homer highlighted a three-run fifth inning, and Will Brennan went deep twice as the Cleveland Guardians beat the visiting Seattle Mariners 6-3 on Thursday.

The Guardians trailed 3-2 entering their half of the fifth, and Seattle starter Luis Castillo retired the first two batters. He then walked Steven Kwan, and Gimenez followed with a no-doubt shot over the right-center-field wall for a 4-3 Cleveland lead. After Jose Ramirez walked and stole second, he scored on Josh Naylor’s double to right.

Brennan clubbed solo homers in the second and eighth and Kwan extended his hitting streak to 14 games and his on-base streak to 25 straight.

Logan Allen (8-3) overcame four walks and four hits to yield three runs in six innings for the Guardians, who took the final two of this three-game set after losing three in a row.

Castillo (6-8), meanwhile, allowed five runs and eight hits while lasting five innings for the American League West-leading Mariners, who posted just five hits. Seattle’s back-to-back losses to close the series followed an 8-1 stretch.

The Mariners wasted no time getting to Allen. J.P. Crawford led off the game with a single into center field. He was along for the ride when Dylan Moore drove the ball just inside the left field foul pole for his second homer of the series and a 2-0 Seattle edge.

The Guardians cut into the lead in their half of the first. Kwan, batting .396, opened with a double and eventually scored on Josh Naylor’s fielder’s choice that resulted in an inning-ending double play.

Cleveland tied the game in the second when Brennan pulled an 0-1 fastball over the right-center-field wall.

Seattle, though, regained the lead in the fourth thanks to some wildness from Allen. He hit Ty France and later issued a two-out walk to Victor Robles. That set up Ryan Bliss’ lined RBI double for a one-run Mariners’ advantage.

Cleveland’s Emmanuel Clase recorded his 22nd save.

–Field Level Media