Gabriel Arias, Guardians stave off Blue Jays

Gabriel Arias had three hits and two RBIs to help the visiting Cleveland Guardians defeat the Toronto Blue Jays 5-4 on Sunday afternoon in the rubber match of a three-game series.

Guardians right-hander Tanner Bibee (3-2) pitched five solid innings and Steven Kwan, Kyle Manzardo and Angel Martinez added two hits apiece. Cleveland has won five of its last six games.

Former Guardian Andres Gimenez led the Blue Jays with two hits and two RBIs.

Cleveland made it 5-3 in the top of the ninth after Yariel Rodriguez allowed a leadoff single to Martinez. Brendon Little entered and walked three, with the final one to Carlos Santana forcing in a run.

Cleveland closer Emmanuel Clase made a two-base throwing error on Gimenez's dribbler to lead off the ninth. Bo Bichette singled to put runners at the corners and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. lined a sacrifice fly to right. Clase got the next two outs to earn his seventh save.

Toronto squandered a first-inning opportunity against Bibee. Bichette's leadoff double to left and Guerrero's ground-ball single past first base put runners at the corners with no outs. The rally fizzled when Anthony Santander's grounder to first resulted in a double play, with Bichette thrown out at home.

Arias led off the third with a single against Toronto right-hander Bowden Francis (2-5), took third on Martinez's single to right and scored on Kwan's fielder's choice grounder to second.

Cleveland scored three in the fourth. Manzardo singled with one out, Carlos Santana walked and Daniel Schneemann stroked a 3-1 elevated fastball into the right field corner for an RBI double. Arias drove home both runners with a single to right but was out trying for a double.

Toronto's three-run fourth started with an error by third baseman Jose Ramirez on a grounder. Alan Roden was hit by a pitch with one out, Nathan Lukes knocked an RBI double into the left field corner and Gimenez lined a two-run single that Bibee deflected.

Francis was replaced by Josh Walker after Kwan's fifth-inning single. He allowed four runs, six hits and one walk with two strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings.

Bibee was removed with leg cramps after warming up for the sixth. He allowed three runs (two earned), five hits and two walks with three strikeouts.

Cleveland's Hunter Gaddis survived a walk, a single and a sacrifice bunt in the eighth.

Toronto's Daulton Varsho was a late scratch with lower back tightness.

--Field Level Media