Stephen Vogt knows Sutter Health Park. He played here. And when he told his team before Friday night’s series opener that the ball can fly at this place and that you have to keep adding runs, the Guardians took every word of it to heart.
Cleveland beat the AL West-leading Oakland Athletics 8-5 in a game that required every bit of the resilience this roster has been building all season. The Guardians improve to 17-16 on the year while Oakland drops to 17-15.
The night belonged to Rhys Hoskins, who went 2-4. The first baseman and designated hitter was born and raised in this city, and he celebrated his homecoming with a double, a home run, and 3 RBI in front of a crowd that included family and friends.
Rhys Hoskins sends one soarin' 🤩 pic.twitter.com/bagbp4cn39
— MLB (@MLB) May 2, 2026
“This is cool,” Hoskins said. “This is home. I have a lot of 12, 13 and 14-year-old memories here. It was just a cool moment for me and my family. To get a win in that situation, is even better.”
He elaborated on just how many familiar faces were in the building.
“I probably got to see five or six groups before the game that I didn’t leave tickets for,” Hoskins said. “They were from all facets of my life, from being a young kid to a big-leaguer now.”
Chase DeLauter had the best individual offensive performance of the night, turning in the first four-hit game of his career. He went 4-4 with a walk, 2 doubles, and 2 RBI, using the whole field the way manager Stephen Vogt has come to expect from him.
“Chase had a great night,” Vogt said. “He used the whole field and had a walk besides his four hits. We’re going to continue to learn about our young guys and they’re going to continue to learn about the big leagues.”
Travis Bazzana had a quiet but productive night, going 2-3 with 2 walks and 2 runs scored in just his third major league game.
Cade Smith closed out the ninth for his eighth save in ten chances, earning the first four-out save of his season after getting the final out of the eighth as well. The win went to Erik Sabrowski, who improved to 1-1 on the season.
The series continues Saturday at 4:05 p.m. with Slade Cecconi on the mound against Jacob Lopez for Oakland. After a night like Friday’s, the Guardians will be looking to build on the momentum and take a series lead heading into Sunday’s finale.
NEXT: Guardians Make Roster Move Ahead Of New Series
