Steven Kwan’s two-out RBI single in the eighth inning lifted the Cleveland Guardians to a 3-2 win over the visiting Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday.

After Baltimore reliever Colin Selby (0-2) retired the first two batters in the eighth, Bo Naylor doubled and Kwan followed with a liner to left. Colton Cowser’s throw home bounced past catcher Alex Jackson, allowing Naylor to score.

The Guardians have won 11 of their last 13, including the first three of this four-game set. Cleveland is 5-1 on its seven-game homestand.

The third Cleveland pitcher, Hunter Gaddis (1-1), was the winner, and Emmanuel Clase gained his 23rd save with a 1-2-3 ninth inning. Selby took his second loss of the series as the Orioles fell for the seventh time in eight games.

Bad Baltimore baserunning short-circuited a potential big inning in the third. With runners on second and third and no outs, Ramon Urias was thrown out at the plate on a grounder to third by Jacob Stallings. During the ensuing at-bat, Cedric Mullins was picked off second base.

Baltimore opened the scoring in the fourth when Ryan O’Hearn’s sacrifice fly that brought home Jordan Westburg.

Kyle Manzardo’s single in the bottom of the fourth scored Kwan and Jose Ramirez to give Cleveland a 2-1 lead. The Guardians didn’t have a baserunner against Zach Eflin until Kwan led off the frame with a walk.

Jackson Holliday opened the sixth with a solo homer off Guardians starter Slade Cecconi to make it 2-2.

Eflin worked five innings, giving up two runs on two hits in his first appearance since June 28. The right-hander struck out five and walked one, throwing 84 pitches in his return from lower back tightness.

Cecconi was denied his third straight victory, pitching six innings and allowing two runs on five hits in a no-decision. The right-hander struck out two and walked a pair.

–Field Level Media