Angel Martinez launched a solo home run, and Patrick Bailey drove in his first run since joining the team via trade, leading the Cleveland Guardians to a 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday night at Progressive Field.
Vaughn Grissom answered with a homer in the eighth inning for the Angels, who have now lost 29 of their last 33 games in Cleveland since 2015—the most lopsided home series advantage in MLB over that span. The Angels haven’t won consecutive games in Cleveland in 13 years.
Hunter Gaddis (1-1) tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit. Cade Smith earned his 12th save in 14 chances, retiring all four batters he faced.
Martinez broke a scoreless tie in the third with a blast off Angels rookie Walbert Urena (1-4). Cleveland doubled the lead in the fifth when Bailey’s groundout brought home Daniel Schneemann.
Los Angeles trimmed the lead to 2-1 in the sixth after pinch-hitter Oswald Peraza tripled off Tim Herrin and scored on a sacrifice fly from Jo Adell. The Guardians answered in the seventh with a Brayan Rocchio sacrifice fly that plated Petey Halpin.
Grissom greeted rookie Franco Aleman with a 406-foot homer to center in the eighth, cutting the deficit to 3-2. After Aleman walked Josh Lowe, Smith entered for his second four-out appearance this season.
The Angels had a chance to tie in the seventh, putting two runners on with one out against Erik Sabrowski. The Canadian left-hander struck out Nolan Schanuel and Jorge Soler to end the threat.
Adell robbed Martinez of extra bases in the fifth, grabbing his drive just before it hit the top of the right-field wall.
Urena allowed two runs on three hits over five innings, striking out four and walking one in his seventh major league appearance.
Guardians starter Slade Cecconi tossed four scoreless innings, striking out seven but needing 89 pitches. He allowed five hits and one walk.
Bailey, a two-time Gold Glove-winning catcher acquired from the San Francisco Giants on May 9, went 0-for-5 and has yet to reach base for Cleveland.
Guardians manager Stephen Vogt returned to the dugout after missing two games due to a viral infection. Bench coach Tony Arnerich went 1-1 in his absence.
