Shane Bieber allowed one run in six innings to pick up his first win in 3 1/2 months, lifting the host Cleveland Guardians to a 4-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday.
Cleveland’s Brayan Rocchio and Tyler Freeman each had an RBI single and scored a run. Josh Naylor and Jose Tena also drove in a run for the Guardians (75-84), who were victorious in the final home game for manager Terry Francona.
Francona, 64, has spent the last 11 seasons with Cleveland, and the team paid homage to him with a video tribute prior to the first pitch of the game.
Bieber (6-6) allowed five hits and struck out seven batters to secure his first win since June 11. Two relievers bridged the gap to Emmanuel Clase, who retired the side in the ninth to secure his career-best 43rd save of the season.
Cincinnati’s Jonathan India had an RBI double among his two hits and scored twice. TJ Friedl added an RBI single for the Reds (81-78), who have lost five of their past seven games to fall 1 1/2 games behind the Cubs and the Marlins for the third and final National League wild-card spot. Chicago (82-76) lost to the Atlanta Braves 6-5 on Wednesday, and Miami (82-76) split a doubleheader with the New York Mets.
Ramon Laureano ripped a double off rookie Andrew Abbott (8-6) to lead off the second inning and advanced to third on a stolen base. He crossed the plate on Freeman’s single to center field to open the scoring. Freeman didn’t stay on first base for long. He promptly stole second and scored on Rocchio’s single to center.
Steven Kwan singled to lead off the third, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored two batters later on Naylor’s single to extend Cleveland’s lead to 3-0.
That ended the evening for Abbott, who permitted three runs on eight hits in 2 1/3 innings to fall to 0-3 in his last seven outings.
Tena’s RBI single plated Rocchio in the fourth inning before Cincinnati finally got to Bieber in the sixth. India ripped a one-out double and scored on Friedl’s single.
Nick Martini had a double to lead off the eighth inning and scored on India’s double to left field. India scored on Spencer Steer’s groundout to trim Cleveland’s lead to 4-3.
–Field Level Media
