The Cleveland Guardians are determined to close out the first half of the season on a high note, earning their third consecutive win on Saturday after beating the Miami Marlins 4-1 at loanDepot Park. They still have to play the series finale on Sunday, but Stephen Vogt and his players want to enter the All-Star break on a nice run.
The victory allows Cleveland to keep up with the Chicago White Sox, who also won on Saturday. The two teams are still sharing first place in the AL Central.
Miami Twice!#GuardsBall | #GuardiWWWins pic.twitter.com/m2fRmlZUmy
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) July 11, 2026
Tanner Bibee had a solid afternoon in Miami, tossing 6.2 frames and allowing one run that was scored after he left. He surrendered five hits and walked four, striking out three. His ERA is now at 3.90.
Eury Perez, Miami’s starter, also threw a quality start, but he allowed two earned runs and was saddled with the loss. The Guardians were able to keep constant pressure on the basepaths against him.
The Guardians, who are now 50-46 on the season, opened the scoring in the fourth inning. With one out, Gabriel Arias and Petey Halpin hit consecutive singles and then proceeded to steal third and second base, respectively. Patrick Bailey struck out swinging, but the suddenly surging Steven Kwan came through with a two-out, two-run double that put the game 2-0 in Cleveland’s favor.
Joe Mack hit a one-out double for Miami in the bottom of the seventh. Bibee got Javier Sanoja to ground out for the second out of the inning, with Mack moving to third on the play. Shawn Armstrong relieved the Guardians’ starter and immediately allowed the Marlins’ first run on Liam Hicks’ RBI single, before getting the last out of the frame.
With Cleveland’s lead now cut to one run, the offense got to work in the top of the eighth. Kyle Manzardo was hit by a pitch, and Khalil Watson doubled to send him to third. With no outs and runners on second and third, Arias and Halpin both struck out swinging, but just when it looked like the Guardians would come out of the inning empty-handed, Patrick Bailey laced a two-run double to make things 4-1.
Patty Barrels doing what he does.#GuardsBall pic.twitter.com/9PJB2k2Onh
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) July 11, 2026
Franco Aleman navigated through a hit and took care of the eighth inning, positioning himself as a high-leverage weapon out of the Guardians’ bullpen. Colin Holderman got the ninth with no issues, earning a rare save and letting Hunter Gaddis and Cade Smith get some rest.
Arias stole two bases and went 3-for-4, and Kwan and Halpin added one theft each. Brayan Rocchio racked up two hits from the second hole, and Bailey doubled and drove in two.
The Guardians will send left-hander Joey Cantillo to the mound for the series finale on Sunday, looking for the sweep.
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