Joey Cantillo whiffs 9 as Guardians sweep Marlins

Field Level Media|published: Sun 12th July, 17:28 2026

Jul 12, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Cleveland Guardians pitcher Joey Cantillo (54) throws against the Miami Marlins in the first inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

Brayan Rocchio and Chase DeLauter slugged home runs, and Joey Cantillo struck out nine batters in five innings, leading the Guardians to a 5-2 win over the host Miami Marlins on Sunday afternoon.

Guardians right fielder Kahlil Watson -- Miami's first-round pick in 2021 -- also had a solid game, going 2-for-5 with one RBI, one stolen base and one runner thrown out at second base.

Cleveland pulled off a three-game sweep on the last day of contests prior to Tuesday's All-Star Game.

Rocchio went 2-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs scored.

Cantillo (8-4) earned the win, allowing six hits, two walks and one run.

The Marlins had entered this series on a six-game winning streak. However, in this series, Miami scored a total of just five runs.

Tyler Phillips, Miami's starter on what had been designated as a bullpen day, took the loss. Phillips (2-4) allowed two hits, one walk and two runs in one inning.

Marlins reliever Michael Petersen -- who has pitched to a 3.07 ERA in 39 appearances -- was pulled in the middle of the fifth inning due to an apparent right-hamstring injury.

It took Cleveland just seven pitches to score. Travis Bazzana drew a four-pitch walk, stole second and scored on Rocchio's ground-ball single to right. Javier Sanoja, a 2025 Gold Glove utility player, made a strong throw home, but Bazzana beat it on a close play.

Later in the first inning, Rocchio scored on Kyle Manzardo's opposite-field single to left.

In the bottom of the first, Liam Hicks appeared to have a double off the right-field wall. But Hicks stumbled rounding first, and Watson threw him out at second.

Miami wasted another opportunity in the second, loading the bases with no outs but failing to score. Cantillo got Esteury Ruiz on a popup before striking out Rece Hinds swinging at a changeup up in the zone and Brian Navarreto swinging at a changeup in the dirt.

Miami got on the board in the third as Heriberto Hernandez doubled and scored on Xavier Edwards' two-out single.

Rocchio homered on a 98-mph Peterson fastball in the fifth inning, and the Guardians made it 4-1 on Watson's RBI infield single in the seventh.

The teams traded homers in the ninth -- DeLauter for Cleveland and Griffin Conine for Miami -- but the Marlins did no further damage.

--Field Level Media