Cleveland trailed by three runs heading into the eighth inning Sunday and looked headed toward another frustrating afternoon at the plate, but the Guardians erupted for five runs in the frame to complete a stunning 6-5 comeback win over Seattle at Progressive Field. The victory capped a series win for Cleveland and pulled the club back into a virtual tie with Chicago atop the AL Central after Kansas City beat the White Sox earlier in the day. Chase DeLauter provided the signature moment of the rally, delivering the game-tying hit in his first game back since fracturing a rib on June 13.
The Guardians celebrated the dramatic finish on social media.
“Never a doubt,” Guardians posted.
Never a doubt.#GuardsBall | #GuardiWWins pic.twitter.com/jzedyLWtWq
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) June 28, 2026
The first seven innings followed a script that had become all too familiar for Cleveland this season. Seattle built a 3-0 lead by taking advantage of several Guardians miscues, including a Brayan Rocchio throwing error and a double-clutch relay from Kahlil Watson that allowed an extra run to score. Gavin Williams pitched well enough to deserve a better outcome, striking out six over five innings while touching 100 miles per hour three times, but the Cleveland defense behind him struggled in key moments and the offense could not capitalize on early scoring chances against Emerson Hancock.
Everything changed in the eighth. Daniel Schneemann ignited the rally with a pinch hit RBI single before Patrick Bailey, Steven Kwan and a fielding miscue by Seattle loaded the bases for DeLauter, who lined a single up the middle to tie the game at four. Rhys Hoskins followed with a go ahead double down the left field line that DeLauter raced home on all the way from first, giving Cleveland a 6-4 lead it would not relinquish.
A 5-run 8th! 😍#GuardsBall pic.twitter.com/EbYsmQduyW
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) June 28, 2026
Cade Smith worked around a pair of two-out singles in the ninth to secure his major league-leading 26th save, sealing one of the more improbable victories of the Guardians season given they had entered the day just 2-33 when trailing after seven innings.
Manager Stephen Vogt called it one of the best wins his team has produced all year, pointing to the resilience his players showed after falling behind early. With the comeback complete, Cleveland will turn its attention to a three-game series against Texas beginning Monday, with Parker Messick taking the mound looking to carry this momentum into a new opponent.
NEXT: Insider Explains The Real Key To Guardians' Resilience
