Oscar Gonzalez hit a two-run, 10th-inning double to lead the Guardians to a 6-5 victory over the host Kansas City Royals on Monday, ending Cleveland’s five-game losing streak.
The Guardians moved back into sole possession of first place in the American League Central, a game ahead of the Minnesota Twins, who lost 5-2 to the New York Yankees on Monday.
The Chicago White Sox hung on for a 3-2 victory over the Seattle Mariners to remain two games behind the Guardians, who had been alone in first from Aug. 10 through Saturday.
Eli Morgan (5-3) earned the victory with one inning of scoreless relief. Emmanuel Clase picked up his 31st save in 33 chances despite allowing a run in the bottom of the 10th.
Carlos Hernandez (0-5) allowed both runs in the top of the 10th, but only one was earned, as the Royals’ two-game winning streak was snapped.
Neither starter factored in the decision. Cleveland’s Triston McKenzie gave up three runs (two earned) on three hits in 5 2/3 innings. Kansas City’s Brady Singer worked around trouble all night, allowing four runs (three earned) on nine hits in six innings.
The Guardians grabbed the lead in the second. Andres Gimenez and Tyler Freeman stroked one-out singles before Austin Hedges bunted back to Singer for an RBI sacrifice. Myles Straw singled to right with two outs, scoring Freeman with the second run.
The Royals had a hard time mounting much offense against McKenzie, at least until the fifth, when Michael Massey coaxed a leadoff walk and scored on Drew Waters’ first career home run. Waters took a McKenzie curveball and planted it in the bullpen beyond right field.
Cleveland’s Josh Naylor answered with a leadoff home run in the sixth, a no-doubter that went 421 feet to right-center. One out later, Gimenez hit a double, went to third on Singer’s errant pickoff attempt and scored an unearned run on a sacrifice fly by Freeman.
Michael A. Taylor hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the sixth to draw the Royals within 4-3, ending the night for McKenzie.
With one out in the eighth, Salvador Perez hit a double down the left field line to tie the game.
–Field Level Media
