Having lost two straight and six of their last eight, the Cleveland Guardians needed to win at all costs on Thursday. It didn’t matter if it was with a pitching masterpiece or on a high-scoring affair: they just needed to score more runs than their foe. And they did, beating the Milwaukee Brewers 4-2 at American Family Field and avoiding a sweep.
The team, and the offense in particular, has been under the spotlight this week in the wake of the injuries suffered by Jose Ramirez, Angel Martinez, and Chase DeLauter. On Thursday, at least, Cleveland got a solid outing by Parker Messick and some help from the hitters to get that valuable W.
Salvaged the series!#GuardsBall | #GuardiWins pic.twitter.com/vdAML5GbqG
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) June 18, 2026
Messick (7-3) lowered his ERA to 2.70 with a quality start that earned him the win, completing six frames and allowing just two runs. He surrendered four hits and walked three hitters, striking out nine, often touching the high nineties with his heater and doing his best to ease concerns about him losing form.
The Brewers took the lead in the second frame. With two runners on and no outs, Gary Sanchez singled on a ground ball to center field that second baseman Travis Bazzana deflected. Andrew Vaughn scored.
The Guardians, however, tied the game in the third inning with the first of their three solo home runs. David Fry caught one and sent it deep to center field for his fourth long ball of the season.
Cooper Pratt drove in Sanchez with a sac fly in the bottom of the fourth to restore the Brewers’ lead. Milwaukee would be in command until the sixth, when Kyle Manzardo knotted things with his eighth dinger of the season.
The two runs that Cleveland scored in the seventh won them the game. With one out, Travis Bazzana belted his fifth dinger of the year to give the Guardians a 3-2 lead, and later in the inning, Daniel Schneemann scored the fourth run on a wild pitch.
Travis Bazzana, my goodness!#GuardsBall | #VoteGuards pic.twitter.com/pvwnOaU18P
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) June 18, 2026
The bullpen battled some control issues in the late innings, but got the job done. Tim Herrin got two outs in the seventh, but it was Colin Holderman who got out of that frame.
Hunter Gaddis encountered some problems in the eighth, but Cade Smith bailed him out with the last out of the inning and a scoreless ninth to score his 24th save of the year. The four relievers combined to walk six batters in the final three frames: they bent, but did not break.
The Guardians will now travel to Houston to begin a weekend series with the Astros. Tanner Bibee will face Tatsuya Imai.
NEXT: Insider Shuts Down Concerns About Guardians Amid Rough Stretch
