Rhys Hoskins homered, doubled and drove in three runs and Chase DeLauter went 4-for-4 with two RBIs to lead the Cleveland Guardians to an 8-5 victory over the Athletics on Friday night at West Sacramento, Calif.
Steven Kwan reached base three times on two hits and a walk and made a stellar catch that saved three runs for the Guardians. Bo Naylor also had two hits as Cleveland won its second straight contest following a four-game skid.
Cade Smith retired the final four batters for his eighth save.
Brent Rooker went 2-for-5 with a homer and three RBIs for the Athletics, who lost for just the fourth time in 10 games. Jeff McNeil also had two hits for the A’s.
Nick Kurtz went 0-for-4 but drew a walk in the seventh to reach base for the 26th straight game. He has walked in 20 straight games, tying Barry Bonds (2002-03) of the San Francisco Giants for second in major league history. Roy Cullenbine (22) of the 1947 Detroit Tigers holds the record.
Cleveland scored three runs in the fifth to take the lead for good.
Kwan, DeLauter and Kyle Manzardo drew walks off J.T. Ginn (0-1) to load the bases with one out. Hoskins came up and sent a two-run double to right-center to knot the score at 4.
Hogan Harris entered and allowed a sacrifice fly to pinch hitter Angel Martinez to score Manzardo.
In the seventh, Hoskins drilled a one-out homer to left off Justin Sterner to make it 6-4.
Later in the inning, Naylor and Brayan Rocchio hit back-to-back RBI doubles for an 8-4 lead.
The Athletics scored in the bottom of the seventh on Rooker’s bases-loaded RBI single.
Erik Sabrowski (1-1) entered and struck out consecutive batters before Colby Thomas ripped a shot into the gap in left-center. Kwan, who won his fourth straight Gold Glove last season, dashed from center into the alley and made a leaping grab at the wall to end the inning.
The A’s had runners on first and third in the eighth before Connor Brogdon struck out Shea Langeliers and Smith entered and fanned Kurtz to end the inning.
The Athletics took the lead in the first when Rooker slammed a two-out, two-run blast over the wall in left-center off Joey Cantillo.
The Guardians tied the score in the second on DeLauter’s two-out, two-run double.
Zack Gelof hit a bases-loaded two-run single in the fourth to give the Athletics a 4-2 edge.
Ginn gave up five runs and five hits over 4 1/3 innings. He walked five and struck out four.
Cantillo allowed four runs and five hits over four innings. He walked three and fanned two.
–Field Level Media
