
Cleveland has scored double-digits runs in three consecutive games now
Andrés Giménez blasted a two-run homer in the ninth inning to break a 4-4 tie and the Cleveland Guardians poured it on from there en route to a 10-5 win over the Cincinnati Reds.
Steven Kwan became the first player in Major League Baseball history to reach base 18 times in his first five games, recording one hit and two walks against the Reds. Behind him in the lineup, José Ramírez was responsible for six RBI, including his third career grand slam in the ninth inning.
YOU KNOW, BRO!!! @MrLapara hits his 3rd-career Grand Slam!#ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/A2wjPYzvO9
— Bally Sports Cleveland (@BallySportsCLE) April 12, 2022
Shane Bieber was sharp… until he wasn’t. He didn’t allow a baserunner until the fourth inning, when he surrendered a walk to Tyler Naquin before promptly erasing him with an inning-ending double play. Bieber pitched five no-hit innings but came undone in the sixth inning. He hit Kyle Farmer on a 3-2 pitch and gave up a double to Jake Fraley to puts runner on second and third with one out. Jonathan India ended Bieber’s day with a two-run double to cut the deficit to 4-2.
Anthony Gose took over from there and allowed a two-run homer to Taylor Naquin to make it a tie ballgame. Bieber’s final line: 5.1 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 1 HBP, 5 K. He also averaged 91 mph on his four-seam fastball, up from his career-low of 90.6 mph in the season opener.
Steven Kwan opened up the scoring in the top of the third inning. He came to the plate with the bases loaded and scored Oscar Mercado from third on a sac fly to left field. José Ramírez made it 3-0 with a two-run triple that dropped right in front of Tommy Pham and Nick Senzel in left center field, where the two outfielders collided awkwardly trying to field the ball.
Owen Miller, who came into the game slashing .545/.583/.818 through his first 12 plate appearances of the season, lined his fourth double in five games into left field with one out in the fourth inning. With two outs, Andrés Giménez put together an impressive eight-pitch at-bat, scoring Miller with an RBI triple into the right field corner to make it 4-0 in favor of the Guardians.
Miller and Giménez teamed up again in the ninth inning. Miller led off the inning with a double before scoring two batters later when Giménez homered off Cincinnati reliever Hunter Strickland. But Cleveland wasn’t done yet. The Reds pulled Strickland after he hit Austin Hedges with a pitch and surrendered a double to Myles Straw. His replacement, Daniel Duarte, didn’t fare much better, walking Kwan and delivering the grand slam pitch to Ramírez.
The Guardians’ bullpen managed to hold serve after Gose gave up the game-tying home run in the sixth inning. Anthony Castro and Trevor Stephan held the Reds scoreless in the seventh and eighth innings, respectively. With the game out of reach, Sam Hentges was brought in for the final frame and singlehandedly allowed a run to score. He gave up a leadoff double to Naquin and gave him two free bases, including home plate, on a pair of wild pitches.