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04/27 21:19 CDT Josh Naylor, Ramon Laureano help Guardians outlast Braves 4-2
in 11 innings in meeting of top teams
Josh Naylor, Ramon Laureano help Guardians outlast Braves 4-2 in 11 innings in
meeting of top teams
By BILL TROCCHI
Associated Press
ATLANTA (AP) --- Josh Naylor and Ramon Laureano had RBIs in the 11th inning and
the Cleveland Guardians beat the Atlanta Braves 4-2 in a game featuring the
teams with the two best records in the majors.
Scott Barlow (1-2) escaped a bases loaded, one-out jam in the 10th inning,
retiring Chadwick Tromp and Jarred Kelenic, to earn the win. Nick Sandlin
pitched a perfect 11th to record his first save of the season.
Naylor was 2-for-4 with an RBI and Steven Kwan was 3-for-5.
Tanner Bibee threw seven shutout innings for Cleveland, allowing just two hits
to go along with nine strikeouts and no walks in his first career start against
Atlanta. Bibee has thrown five or more innings with three or less runs allowed
in 27 of his first 31 career starts, joining Matt Harvey as the only pitchers
in MLB history to accomplish the feat.
Dylan Lee (0-1) took the loss for the Braves. Braves righty Charlie Morton
threw seven shutout innings, giving up four hits, one walk and striking out
seven. The veteran threw 63 strikes on 93 pitches. Morton continued a string of
quality starts for the Braves. In the last five games, Atlanta starters have
given up just two runs in 36 2/3 innings in the last turn of the rotation.
The win was the seventh in the last nine games for the Guardians, who own the
best record in the American League at 19-8.
Cleveland reliever Hunter Gaddis gave up his first two runs of the season in
the eighth inning after the Guardians had taken a 2-0 lead.
Travis d'Arnaud hit a double that bounced on the left field foul line and
scored Marcell Ozuna. Jarred Kelenic followed with a bloop single that scored
Michael Harris II, but pinch runner Luke Williams was thrown out at the plate
by Tyler Freeman.
The Guardians pushed two runs across in the eighth inning without hitting a
ball out of the infield. Two infield hits and a bunt loaded the bases for Jos
Ramrez. He grounded to second base and beat out the double play, allowing Bo
Naylor to score. The Guardians then executed a double steal, with Ramrez just
beating the throw at second base to give the Guardians a 2-0 lead.
The Guardians nearly broke the scoreless tie in the sixth inning. With two outs
and Ramrez on first, Naylor hit a double down the right field line. Ronald
Acua Jr. fielded it before it reached the wall, threw it to first baseman Matt
Olson, who nailed Ramirez at the plate.
UP NEXT
The three-game series wraps up with Braves RHP Bryce Elder (1-0, 0.00) making
his second start of the season against Guardians RHP Ben Lively (0-1, 2.38) on
Sunday.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB
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