Cleveland Guardians pitcher Gavin Williams delivers to the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 5, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)
Tampa Bay Rays’ Ian Seymour pitches to the Cleveland Guardians during the second inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 5, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)
The Guardians won for the fourth time in 14 games to reach .500 at 70-70 and keep their wild-card hopes alive. The Rays dropped to 71-69.
Cleveland broke through after the Rays, credited with beginning the opener trend in baseball, used an opener for the first time this season.
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Griffin Jax worked a clean first, but Ian Seymour (3-1) quickly ran into trouble. He bobbled Gabriel Arias’ bunt for an error, then hit a batter and walked another to load the bases. Kwan singled in two runs, RamÃrez followed with a two-run double, and David Fry added an RBI single to make it 5-0. Ramirez was 3 for 5 with the two RBIs.
Austin Hedges homered for Cleveland in the fifth.
Gavin Williams (10-6) gave Cleveland seven solid innings, allowing one run on seven hits. He walked three and struck out three.
Williams’ allowed Junior Caminero’s 41st homer in the sixth, the rookie’s AL-leading 14th since Aug. 1.
Key moment
Seymour’s misplay on Arias’ bunt set up Cleveland’s five-run second.
Key stat
Eight: The Guardians have homered in eight straight games, their second-longest streak of the season.
Up next
RHP Tanner Bibee (9-11, 4.77 ERA) was set to start for Cleveland on Saturday night against RHP Shane Baz (9-11, 4.98).
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