OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 05: Amed Rosario #1 and Steven Kwan #38 of the Cleveland Guardians celebrate defeating the Oakland Athletics 6-4 in 10 innings at RingCentral Coliseum on April 05, 2023 in Oakland, California.Photo: Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images
For the second time this series, and the third time this season the Cleveland Guardians have prevailed in 10 innings. In this rubber-match matinee the Guardians defeated the Oakland Athletics, 6-4, and held off a late-inning rally while struggling to score in key moments.
The Guardians hit 3-for-17 with runners in scoring position and left 12 runners on base; in three different innings (second, third, and eighth) the first two Guardians' hitters reached base, but did not score. Cleveland also stranded a runner on third base with one out in the fifth. However, the first two RBI hits each came with two outs. In the sixth inning Cam Gallagher broke the scoreless tie with a two-out, two-run double off of the left center field wall, scoring Andres Gimenez and Myles Straw for a 2-0 lead. Then in the seventh, Andres Gimenez hit a two-out, two-run single to right field to put Cleveland ahead 4-0. The Athletics tied the game in the eighth on a pair of home runs: Ryan Noda's solo shot, and Jesus Aguilar's three-run long ball. Myles Straw ended the threat with a leaping catch into the center field wall.
After a scoreless ninth, the Guardians began the 10th inning with two runners aboard with no outs, the fourth time this afternoon, but capitalized. Gimenez at second base, and Straw at first base, advanced on a wild pitch. Will Brennan drove in Gimenez on a ground out for Cleveland to regain the lead. Then Steven Kwan delivered an RBI single to left for Straw to score as an insurance run. With the ghost runner on second base, Emmanuel Clase walked the first batter he faced, but retired the next three to preserve the 6-4 win and notch his second save.
Eli Morgan earned his first win after pitching a scoreless ninth, while Zach Jackson suffered the loss after allowing two runs in the 10th. Hunter Gaddis took a no-decision despite striking out four batters and allowing one hit in six scoreless innings.
The Guardians finish the opening road trip 5-2 and are already 3-0 in extra innings. They are off tomorrow before hosting the Seattle Mariners for the home opener on Friday at 4:10 PM. Guardians' Aaron Civale (1-0, 0.00 ERA) and Mariners' Logan Gilbert (0-1, 1.50 ERA) will square off again after their previous matchup in last Saturday's Guardians' 2-0 win. Civale allowed two hits in seven scoreless innings while Gilbert gave up one run on four hits and struck out seven batters.