Tanner Bibee pitched eight scoreless innings to earn his first win of the season, and Jose Ramirez and Brayan Rocchio hit solo home runs to power the Cleveland Guardians to a 6-0 win over the Texas Rangers on Saturday night in Arlington, Texas.
Bibee (1-7) allowed three hits, walked two and fanned three over eight innings as the Guardians evened the three-game series at one game apiece.
Chase DeLauter, Daniel Schneemann and Rocchio each had two hits for the Guardians, who totaled nine. Corey Seager, Josh Jung and Kyle Higashioka each singled for the Rangers’ only hits.
Cleveland broke it open in the fifth, sending nine hitters to the plate and taking a 5-0 lead. With one out, Rocchio’s solo shot ricocheted off the foul pole in right to make it 2-0.
Ramirez walked with two outs, stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by catcher Higashioka. DeLauter singled home Ramirez, and one batter later, Kyle Manzardo sent an RBI double into the right field corner.
Schneemann followed with a single to center, plating Manzardo, extending the Guardians’ advantage to 5-0 and ending Texas starter Jack Leiter’s outing.
Cal Quantrill entered in relief and hit Angel Martinez with a pitch before inducing Steven Kwan to line out to left to end the threat.
Earlier, Ramirez put the Guardians on the board in the fourth with a solo homer to right, his 10th of the season.
While Cleveland’s offense came to life, right-hander Bibee kept the Rangers at bay. In the first inning, Seager lined a single to left field, but Jung grounded into an inning-ending double play.
Bibee posted back-to-back 1-2-3 innings in the second and third.
In the eighth, Kwan hit a leadoff single, Patrick Bailey reached on pitcher Luis Curvelo’s throwing error and Rocchio grounded into a fielder’s choice, erasing Bailey. Travis Bazzana’s RBI fielder’s-choice groundout scored Kwan for 6-0.
Left-hander Tim Herrin pitched the ninth for the Guaridans and recorded one strikeout.
Leiter (3-5) gave up five runs on six hits, walked three and struck out two in 4 2/3 innings.
–Field Level Media
