Parker Messick allowed one run over six innings and Austin Hedges hit a two-run homer as the Cleveland Guardians defeated the Los Angeles Angels 4-2 on Monday night.
Jo Adell delivered a go-ahead single against his former team as Cleveland earned its fifth consecutive win. The Guardians moved within 2 1/2 games of the first-place Chicago White Sox in the American League Central.
Messick continued his impressive rookie season by allowing only three hits. The Angels created their biggest threat in the fourth inning but managed only one run against the left-hander.
Messick Extends Strong Run
Messick retired the first nine Angels he faced before Los Angeles finally broke through in the fourth.
Zach Neto opened the inning with a single, and Mike Trout followed with another hit. Neto advanced to third on Trout’s single, while Trout moved to second on the throw.
Vaughn Grissom then hit a hard ground ball to second. Trout was caught away from the bag but stayed in a rundown long enough for Grissom to reach second.
Moisés Ballesteros followed with an RBI single into center field, scoring Neto and tying the game at 1-1. Grissom advanced to third, putting Los Angeles in position to take the lead.
Messick prevented any further damage.
He struck out Jose Siri and induced Gustavo Campero to pop out, ending the inning with the score still tied.
Messick completed six innings with four strikeouts and one walk. He improved to 10-8 and extended his streak to nine consecutive starts allowing two runs or fewer.
Through 26 starts, the rookie owns a 2.50 ERA with 156 strikeouts in 155 innings.
Guardians Strike First
Cleveland took the lead against Angels rookie George Klassen in the third inning.
Steven Kwan and José Ramírez each singled before Adell drew a walk. Nathaniel Lowe followed with a sacrifice fly to bring home the game’s first run.
Los Angeles responded with Ballesteros’ RBI single in the fourth, but Cleveland regained the lead one inning later.
Adell came to the plate with two outs in the fifth and delivered an RBI single to break the 1-1 tie.
The hit continued a productive stretch for Adell following his move from Los Angeles to Cleveland. The Guardians acquired the former Angels outfielder on August 3, and his fifth-inning single gave him 13 RBIs over six games.
Klassen kept the Angels close but could not get through the sixth.
He allowed three runs, two earned, on six hits across 5 1/3 innings and fell to 2-2.
Hedges Provides Insurance With Two-Run Homer
Cleveland created more separation later in the sixth.
With two outs, Hedges faced Angels reliever Blake Weiman and connected for a two-run home run.
The blast extended Cleveland’s lead to 4-1 and gave its bullpen a three-run cushion for the final three innings.
The Guardians’ relievers took advantage.
Colin Holderman handled the seventh and struck out three of the four batters he faced. Hunter Gaddis followed with a scoreless eighth to keep Los Angeles from cutting into the deficit.
Cleveland then turned to Cade Smith in the ninth.
Angels Make Late Push
Los Angeles mounted one final rally against Smith.
The Angels pulled within 4-2 on Campero’s sacrifice fly and brought the potential tying run to the plate.
Christian Moore drove a ball toward the left-center warning track with a runner aboard, but it stayed in the park for the final out.
Smith allowed a run but protected the lead to earn his 34th save of the season.
The late threat was one of the few opportunities Los Angeles created after its fourth-inning rally.
Messick limited the Angels to three hits during his six innings, and Cleveland’s bullpen prevented Los Angeles from building sustained pressure until the ninth.
Guardians Continue Push in AL Central
The win extended Cleveland’s streak to five games and kept the Guardians moving closer to the top of the AL Central.
Messick again played a major role.
The rookie has provided Cleveland with consistency throughout the season, and Monday’s performance continued his run of limiting opponents to two runs or fewer.
Adell also remained productive after joining the Guardians earlier in August. His fifth-inning single put Cleveland ahead for good against the organization with which he began his major league career.
Hedges then supplied the biggest swing of the night with his two-run homer in the sixth.
For the Angels, Klassen gave his team a chance through the middle innings, and Ballesteros produced the only run against Messick. Los Angeles could not generate enough offense against Cleveland’s bullpen to complete a comeback.
Moore’s drive in the ninth briefly gave the Angels an opportunity to make the finish more dramatic, but Cleveland held on for the two-run win.
Up Next
The series continues Tuesday night in Anaheim.
Cleveland will start right-hander Gavin Williams, who enters with a 12-7 record and a 3.72 ERA.
The Angels will counter with right-hander Walbert Ureña.
