The Cleveland Guardians entered Friday’s game against the Cincinnati Reds with a 24-21 record and three wins in a row. Their streak, however, came to an abrupt end.
The Reds, led by Guardians legend Terry Francona, almost threw away a 6-1 lead in the eighth inning but ended up prevailing and beating Cleveland 7-6 in the opener. Before the play ball voice, the 2016 Indians team that won the American League pennant celebrated that achievement at Progressive Field, in front of a packed stadium.
Tough one.#GuardsBall pic.twitter.com/nRSVA22GoL
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) May 16, 2026
Tanner Bibee gave the Guardians a quality start, but took the loss and, as it happened many times already in 2026, got minimal run support. He pitched 6.2 innings, allowing three runs on seven hits and two walks, striking out two. He is now 0-6 to open the 2026 campaign.
Andrew Abbott, on the other hand, kept Cleveland’s offense at bay for five innings, surrendering just a Rhys Hoskins solo home run in the sixth before departing.
The Reds scored twice at the top of the second. Bibee walked Matt McLain with the bases loaded for the first run, and Tyler Stephenson drove in the second one with a sac fly.
Elly De La Cruz plated Ke’Bryan Hayes with a double for Cincinnati’s third run in the top of the fifth. The Guardians would cut the deficit to two in the bottom of the sixth with Hoskins’ solo blast.
Matt Festa bailed out Bibee when he ran into trouble in the seventh frame, but once Peyton Pallette entered the game in the eighth, the Reds built a sizable lead. Spencer Steer brought JJ Bleday home with a single, and later in the inning, Matt McLain belted a two-run homer to put things 6-1.
The insurance runs would prove extremely valuable for the Reds, as the Guardians almost tied the game with a rally in the bottom of the eighth. With the bases loaded and no outs, Travis Bazzana hit an RBI single, driving in Hoskins with the second Cleveland run.
Austin Hedges struck out swinging, but bases-loaded walks by Brayan Rocchio and Steven Kwan put two more runs on the board for the home club. Jose Ramirez brought Cleveland closer to just one with a sac fly, but Chase DeLauter gave away the third and final out of the inning with a flyout to left.
Cincinnati added another run in the top of the ninth off Tim Herrin, and Tejay Antone got the save for Cincinnati despite surrendering a run after Kyle Manzardo tripled and scored on a fielder’s choice.
The Guardians, now 24-22, will try to even the series on Saturday night, when Gavin Williams takes the mound against Chris Paddack, starting at 6:10 pm ET.
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