Well, folks, the Cleveland Guardians are back in business—and they’re not tiptoeing in. They’re steamrolling. After a stretch that had fans pulling their hair out, the Guardians flipped the script in July, and Tuesday night’s 6-3 win over the Baltimore Orioles was just another example of how hot things are getting in Progressive Field.
Let’s rewind a bit. Just a few weeks ago, from June 26 to July 6, Cleveland couldn’t buy a win. A brutal 10-game skid had everyone questioning what direction this team was heading. But baseball, in all its weird glory, has a way of turning tides when you least expect it. Since that cold streak, the Guardians have ripped off 10 wins in their last 12 games. Tuesday night? That was win No. 10 in the heater.
And they wasted no time making a statement.
Boom! Ramírez Starts the Party Early 🎉
Three batters in. That’s all it took. José Ramírez didn’t wait around for drama. First pitch he saw from Orioles starter Brandon Young? Goodbye baseball. A towering two-run shot to right field, marking his 21st home run of the season—and his fourth in five games since the All-Star break. Talk about coming back refreshed.
Let’s put that in perspective: this was Ramírez’s eighth homer of July. And we’re still not out of the month yet.
Young was visibly rattled early. In the third inning, Kyle Manzardo punched a two-out single to push Cleveland’s lead to 2-0. Young’s night wouldn’t get any better—he dropped to 0-5 with an eye-popping 7.34 ERA.
Cantillo Holds the Line 🎯
Enter Joey Cantillo, who took the mound with poise and something to prove. The lefty, making just his fourth career appearance against Baltimore, was solid through five innings. He opened with four scoreless frames and tallied five strikeouts before the Orioles finally stirred in the fifth.
That inning looked like trouble. Singles by Ramon Urias and Colton Cowser, followed by a walk to Coby Mayo, loaded the bases with no outs. But this is where things got wild: Jacob Stallings grounded one right back to Cantillo—off his glove! It bounced perfectly to second baseman Daniel Schneemann, who flicked it to Brayan Rocchio, who turned a sweet 1-4-6-3 double play. Urias scored, but damage control was a win there.
Cantillo, who had tossed 95 pitches, wrapped up the fifth and handed things off to the bullpen with a 3-1 lead.
Key Stat: The Bullpen Did Its Job 💪
Manager Stephen Vogt went to his bullpen for the final four innings, and they delivered—well, mostly.
Erik Sabrowski, Matt Festa, Cade Smith, and finally Emmanuel Clase combined to hold the O’s in check. Clase notched his 22nd save in 26 chances, showing once again why he’s one of the most dependable closers in the American League.
Sure, there were a few shaky moments—Festa gave up a couple of hits in the seventh, trimming the lead to 5-3—but the relievers didn’t let things spiral out of control.
Manzardo and Martinez Deliver 🔥
Let’s talk about offense for a minute—because it didn’t stop with Ramírez’s homer.
In the fifth, Bo Naylor worked a walk, Angel Martinez doubled him over to third, and with the bases juiced after another intentional walk to Ramírez, Manzardo delivered again—this time with a sacrifice fly that scored Naylor and gave him 39 RBIs on the year.
Martinez was locked in. He collected three hits, including a run-scoring single in the sixth. For those keeping track, he came into the game batting .297 in July. If you’re the Guardians, you’ve gotta love what you’re seeing from the switch-hitting 22-year-old.
Orioles' Brief Spark ⚡
To be fair, Baltimore didn’t roll over completely. Ramon Laureano, a familiar face in Cleveland, cracked his 13th home run of the season—his second in as many games against his old team—to cut the lead to 3-2 in the sixth.
Then in the seventh, they almost made things interesting again. After a heads-up play by Steven Kwan—who leads the AL with nine assists, gunning down Urias trying to stretch a single—Baltimore got two runners on and drove in a run. But again, the Guardians’ bullpen shut the door.
The Finishing Touch: Safety Squeeze Surprise 😏
If there’s anything that screams old school, it’s a safety squeeze—and Cleveland nailed it. In the seventh, Rocchio dropped a beauty that allowed Nolan Jones to score from third. It pushed the lead to 6-3 and gave the Guardians the breathing room they needed.
Also, let’s give credit where it’s due: Schneemann set the table with a single, and Jones got himself into scoring position after Laureano mishandled the ball in right.
Don’t Let the Hit Totals Fool You 📊
On the box score, both teams had seven hits. But the Guardians made their hits count. They stranded nine runners, which is a big drop from the season-high 15 left on base in Monday night’s 10-5 win. It’s a sign that this team is slowly starting to capitalize when it matters.
What’s Next? 🗓️
The Guardians look to keep the streak alive with Zach Eflin (6-5, 5.95 ERA) on the mound Wednesday against Slade Cecconi (5.4, 3.84 ERA). First pitch goes down at 6:40 p.m., and if the past few nights are any indication, Cleveland’s dugout will be rocking.
You can catch the game on CLEGuardians.TV, WTAM 1100, WMMS 100.7 FM, WARF, and the Guardians Radio Network.
Quick Takeaways 📝
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José Ramírez is on fire: 8 homers in July, 4 in his last 5 games.
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Joey Cantillo showed growth, poise, and guts in 5 solid innings.
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Angel Martinez is a rising star, delivering clutch hits in key spots.
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The bullpen had its shaky moments, but still slammed the door.
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Cleveland’s offense is finding rhythm, averaging 6.8 runs in their last five wins.
From ice-cold to red-hot, the Guardians are showing they’re not just a streaky team—they’re one capable of battling through adversity, finding clutch moments, and staying dangerous deep into the season.
Baseball fans, keep your eyes peeled—this team might just be heating up at the perfect time.
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