Guardians' big 3rd ends up being all they need to top Angels

The Cleveland Guardians got another home run from Jose Ramirez and a steady performance on the mound from Tanner Bibee to win their eighth game in a row, beating the Los Angeles Angels 4-3 on Saturday night in Anaheim, Calif.

Ramirez, who homered twice on Friday, hit a two-run homer in the third to cap a four-run frame on Saturday. That was all the Guardians would need to win for the 11th time in their past 12 games.

Bibee gave up a three-run homer to Angels left fielder Taylor Ward in the bottom of the third, but he shut Los Angeles out for the rest of his outing. Bibee (3-1) got through six innings, allowing the three runs on six hits and one walk. He struck out six.

Cade Smith (seventh inning), Hunter Gaddis (eighth) and Emmanuel Clase (ninth) held the Angels in check the rest of the way. Clase recorded his 16th save of 2024.

Ramirez finished 2-for-4 and has now hit safely in 10 of his past 11 games, going 17-for-44 (.386) during that stretch.

Neither team had a hit for the first two innings before the Guardians broke through with their four-run third against Angels starter Jose Soriano (2-5).

Estevan Florial led off the inning with a walk and, one out later, went to second on a single by Brayan Rocchio. Tyler Freeman followed with an RBI single, sending Rocchio to third.

Rocchio then scored on a wild pitch before Ramirez hit his 15th homer of the year, a two-run blast that put the Guardians up 4-0.

The Angels answered in their half of the third against Bibee.

Kyren Paris walked with one out, and one out later, he went to third on a double by Luis Rengifo. Ward followed with a three-run homer, getting hold of a 95-mph fastball from Bibee to cut Los Angeles' deficit to 4-3.

The Angels missed a chance to tie or go ahead in the fourth inning, getting an infield single from Mickey Moniak and a double from Zach Neto, putting runners on second and third with two outs for Paris.

But Bibee escaped with a strikeout of Paris to end the threat.

--Field Level Media