BALTIMORE -- There was a point Tuesday when the Guardians were teetering on the edge of disaster. An early 6-0 lead was all but gone, after the Orioles scored five unanswered runs that ignited Camden Yards and flipped momentum in their direction.
Cleveland absorbed a gut punch. They found a way to respond to secure a key win in their push for the postseason.
The Guardians beat the Orioles, 9-5, on Tuesday behind a pair of big innings: a four-run second inning and a three-run seventh. The former helped build an early lead, and the latter was their response to Baltimore’s comeback attempt that abruptly ended starter Tanner Bibee’s night.
At the center of each rally were a pair of impressive at-bats. Travis Bazzana blasted a three-run shot to cap off a nine-pitch sequence in the second, and Brayan Rocchio delivered a two-run single in the seventh.
The Guardians (74-72) now sit 2 1/2 games behind the American League Central-leading White Sox, pending the outcome of Chicago’s game against the Pirates. Cleveland also held on to the final AL Wild Card spot, while putting a dent into the hopes of an Orioles club that is trying to chase it down.
Entering Tuesday, Bibee had the worst run support (3.10) in MLB among pitchers who had made at least 20 starts this season. You couldn’t help but feel a bit surprised when the Guardians staked Bibee to a 6-0 lead through 1 1/2 innings.
The Orioles got one run back in the fourth, and four of their first five hitters reached off Bibee in the fifth. Pete Alonso’s two-run homer off the right-hander with one out in the fifth spelled an end to Bibee’s outing.
The Guardians were clinging to a one-run lead in the seventh when they put up another big inning. It was not without some luck; Alonso committed a throwing error on an Angel Martínez fielder’s choice. Alonso’s throw struck Jo Adell in the back of the helmet, allowing José Ramírez to score and Adell to advance to third.
Rocchio soon followed with his two-out, two-run single to give the Guardians a four-run lead and some breathing room in the eventual win.