CLEVELAND — In a thrilling turnaround, Nolan Jones orchestrated the go-ahead play that led the Cleveland Guardians to a 4-2 victory over the Houston Astros on Sunday, preventing a full sweep in the three-game series. The decisive moment came in the seventh inning when a misjudged throw by pitcher Steven Okert allowed Jones to score from second base after a sacrifice bunt from Will Wilson. This misplay shifted the momentum back to Cleveland’s favor.
Immediately following this pivotal error, Steven Kwan capitalized with a sacrifice fly that brought Bo Naylor home, tallying another score for the Guardians. Okert, in his brief appearance on the mound, gave up two crucial runs. Previously, the Astros had evened the score at 2-2 in the top of the same inning, thanks to Cam Smith’s two-run double off Tanner Bibee.
Pitching for Cleveland, Cade Smith made a significant impact by retiring all five batters he encountered, including three strikeouts. The final inning saw Emmanuel Clase secure the win with his 14th save of the season. Naylor stood out offensively, matching his season record with three hits, one being a two-run homer against Brandon Walter in the second inning. Before this victory, the Guardians had struggled, losing eight of their last 12 games.
For the Astros, Brandon Walter, freshly brought up from Triple-A Sugar Land, pitched a solid six innings yielding two runs. Meanwhile, Jake Meyers shone for Houston with a career-matching four hits during the match. Their overall performance on a six-game trip ended with a 4-2 record, having clinched 10 wins out of their last 14 contests.
Tanner Bibee nearly delivered a flawless performance for the Guardians, maintaining a two-hit shutout into the seventh inning, striking out six without issuing a walk over 6 1/3 innings. It was a display of tightly-contested action until the tables turned dramatically in Cleveland’s favor.
A noteworthy achievement from the game sees Guardians’ third baseman José Ramírez extending his on-base streak to 34 games, marking the longest such streak for the franchise since Jason Kipnis’ 36-game string in 2013.
Looking ahead, the Astros schedule Lance McCullers Jr. (1-1, 4.44 ERA) to begin a three-game series against the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday, starting their six-game homestand. Simultaneously, the Guardians will host a game Monday with Luis Ortiz (3-6, 4.02) on the mound, welcoming former Cleveland manager Terry Francona as he returns to the city with the Cincinnati Reds.