07/18/26 10:57:00
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07/18 22:55 CDT Bazzana hits 2-run homer in 9th to rally Guardians to 5-3
victory over Pirates
Bazzana hits 2-run homer in 9th to rally Guardians to 5-3 victory over Pirates
By JOE REEDY
AP Sports Writer
CLEVELAND (AP) --- Rookie All-Star Travis Bazzana hit a two-run homer to center
field in the ninth inning for his first career walk-off hit and the Cleveland
Guardians rallied for a 5-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates Saturday night
to split in a doubleheader.
The Pirates won the first game 7-1.
Patrick Bailey led off the ninth with a single to right, Steven Kwan followed
with a double down the left-field line. Bailey tried to score from first but
was tagged out at home by Pittsburgh catcher Rafael Flores Jr. after the relay
throw by third baseman Nick Gonzales.
Bazzana --- the top overall pick in the 2024 amateur draft --- then connected
on a 1-0 changeup by Dennis Santana (2-5) and drove it 414 feet for his eighth
homer of the season and give Cleveland its fourth walk-off win of the season.
Cade Smith (3-1), the Guardians' seventh pitcher of the night, got the win
after retiring the Pirates in order in the ninth. Kwan had three hits.
Pittsburgh jumped out to a 3-0 lead after four innings, which included an
improbable RBI double by Esmerlyn Valdez in the third. With one out and a
runner on second, Valdez hit a towering fly ball to shallow center. Outfielder
Petey Halpin lost the ball in the lights and hazy conditions as Cleveland was
still dealing with smoke from wildfires in Canada.
The ball landed in right center and was picked up by right fielder David Fry.
Gonzales beat the throw home to make it 2-0. According to Statcast, the ball
reached an apex of 204 feet and had a hang time of 7.4 seconds.
Cleveland tied it in the eighth with three runs. Chase DeLauter's base hit to
right drove in Kwan, Brayan Rocchio scored on a wild pitch and DeLauter scored
on Kahlil Watson's single to right.
Up next
NL All-Star Paul Skenes (8-3, 3.57 ERA) goes for Pittsburgh. Cleveland will go
with lefty Joey Cantillo (8-4, 3.56 ERA) in the series finale.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
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