The Cleveland Guardians avoided a sweep on Wednesday afternoon, beating the Texas Rangers 9-4 at home in their series finale. A five-run second inning was more than enough to secure the much-needed victory, but the Guards’ offense was relentless in this one.
Cleveland is now 45-42. They had lost 15 of their last 23 games, but their win on Wednesday, combined with the Chicago White Sox’s loss, allowed them to cut the latter’s division lead to just one game.
Onto the White Sox!#GuardsBall | #GuardiWins pic.twitter.com/ZAnyk4MC7N
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) July 1, 2026
Starting pitcher Joey Cantillo managed to limit the Rangers to two runs in five innings, but it wasn’t always pretty. He surrendered three hits and walked five, with four strikeouts to his name. He left things in the hands of their bullpen, and while the ride was rocky, they ended up getting the job done.
The Guardians did most of their damage in the second frame. Brayan Rocchio and Gabriel Arias hit consecutive singles to open the inning and put runners at the corners, and, after Khalil Watson struck out, Austin Hedges executed a perfect safety squeeze in which Rocchio reached home plate safely.
Daniel Schneemann then walked to load the bases with one out, and a wild pitch by Rangers starter MacKenzie Gore allowed Arias to score the 2-0 run. David Fry then belted a huge three-run homer to put things 5-0. It was his fifth long ball of the year.
Live and let Fry.#GuardsBall pic.twitter.com/OnluPn0fQh
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) July 1, 2026
At the top of the third, Cantillo got wild and gave away two walks and a single to load the bases. He then walked in the Rangers’ first run after throwing four balls against Kyle Higashioka.
When Cantillo walked Higashioka again to open the sixth, he was taken out of the game by manager Stephen Vogt. Colin Holderman relieved him and allowed the inherited runner to score, plus a run of his own to make things 5-3.
Hunter Gaddis was the guy for the seventh inning and, immediately upon entering the game, conceded a hit to Ezequiel Duran and a walk to Jake Burger. He struck out Joc Pederson, but his outing ended at that point, paving the way for Tim Herrin to enter the action and get the remaining two outs of the frame.
In the bottom of the seventh, the struggling Steven Kwan hit a triple down the left-field line and went on to score on Chase DeLauter’s single. The rookie, who later crossed home plate with the Guardians’ seventh run on a wild pitch, keeps producing after returning from the injured list this past weekend.
Elias Diaz hit a solo homer in the top of the eighth to give Texas its fourth run of the game. It wouldn’t be enough, though, especially since Hedges added two more runs in the bottom of the eighth with a two-run shot.
DeLauter racked up three hits, including a double, and Fry drove in three with his key home run. Hedges went 1-for-3 with two runs scored, a homer, and three RBI.
There’s no day off for the Guardians on Thursday: they will host the Chicago White Sox in the first of four pivotal games in the division race.
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