Williams, Manzardo shine as Guards split twinbill with Reds
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CINCINNATI -- Kyle Manzardo hit a grand slam, Chase DeLauter scored the go-ahead run on a sacrifice bunt in the eighth inning and the Cleveland Guardians snapped a five-game losing streak, rallying for a 6-5 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday in the first game of a doubleheader.
José Ramírez had two hits and stole two bases in the fifth inning before scoring the tying run.
Sal Stewart drove in three runs, including a two-run double to give the Reds a 5-4 lead during a four-run fourth inning. Stewart also had a solo homer in the second inning off Guardians starter Slade Cecconi.
With Stewart on first base and two out in the ninth, Cleveland right fielder Angel Martínez made a diving catch on a looping fly ball hit by JJ Bleday for the final out and give Cade Smith his major league-leading 30th save.
Colin Holderman (6-2) worked a scoreless seventh inning to get the win.
DeLauter, whose sacrifice fly in the fifth tied it at 5, got aboard with one out in the eighth with a base hit off Cincinnati's Sam Moll (1-7) to extend his on-base streak to 18 games. He then advanced to third on Travis Bazzana's single before scoring on the sacrifice bunt.
The bases were loaded with two outs in the first when Manzardo hit a hanging slider from Reds starter Chase Burns on a 2-2 count and drove it into the Guardians' bullpen in right field. It was the first grand slam of Manzardo's three-year career and Cleveland's fourth of the season.
Game 2
JJ Bleday hit a solo home run in the first inning and five Cincinnati pitchers combined for the shutout as the Reds defeated the Cleveland Guardians 2-0 and split a day-night doubleheader.
The Reds sealed the win in the nightcap when, with a runner aboard in the ninth, Dane Myers made a leaping grab against the center field wall on Petey Halpin's drive for the final out, securing Emilio Pagan his 11th save.
The Guardians were shut out for the ninth time this season and third time in four games.
The Guardians wasted another dominant outing by right-hander Gavin Williams, who allowed two runs on 12 hits with one walk and 12 strikeouts.
Williams became the first Guardians pitcher since Shane Bieber in 2021 to record 10 or more strikeouts in four straight starts in a single season. Bieber fanned 10 or more in each of his first four starts of 2021. In his past four starts, Williams has 45 strikeouts and two walks over 27 innings.
The Reds went with a bullpen game for the nightcap.
Left-hander Caleb Ferguson was the opener for the Reds, making his first start of the season and 15th of his career. He pitched 1 2/3 innings, allowing one hit with a walk and a strikeout.
Jose Franco earned his first career victory, allowing one hit with two walks and two strikeouts in a career-high 3 2/3 innings before exiting in the seventh with right elbow discomfort.
Bleday put the Reds ahead 1-0 with a solo home run in the first inning, his 18th of the season.
Williams' wild pitch allowed Myers to score from third, giving the Reds a 2-0 lead in the fifth. It was his fourth wild pitch of the season.
Up next
Reds RHP Brady Singer (5-9, 4.53) and Guardians LHP Joey Cantillo (8-6, 4.02) are scheduled to start today's series finale.