CLEVELAND, OH - When you have a team's number, everything seems to go your way, and against the Oakland Athletics (8-13), everything's coming up Cleveland Guardians (15-6) this season, as the Guardians won 6-3 over the A's, their fifth win in six games against Oakland.
With the win, Cleveland is the first team in the MLB to reach 15 wins, and has won 11 of its last 13 games.
The Guardians offense got started cooking early with a pair of RBI doubles in the bottom of the first inning from third baseman Jose Ramirez and outfielder Ramon Laureano to give the team a 2-0 lead.
With the offense setting the table nicely to start the game, Guardians starting pitcher Logan Allen was able to get to work, not allowing a hit through four innings. Allen, 25, ran into some trouble in the fifth inning, allowing solo home runs to both first baseman Ryan Noda and third baseman Max Schuemann.
Allen, who had only allowed seven runs outside of the first inning this season, ended up allowing three earned runs on Saturday night. The left-hander was able to strike out four A's hitters across 5.1 innings while also surrendering five hits and three walks.
Guardians slugger Josh Naylor helped rally the team with yet another deep home run blast to right-center field in the sixth to give them the lead, 4-2. Naylor, fueled by excitement from the blast, celebrated by hitting himself in the head with his bat before he powerfully spiked it into the grass.
"I think that's the inner competitor that comes in," Guardians outfielder Steven Kwan said of Naylor following the win. "I think it gets to that point where he blacks out. It's just pure baseball passion. It's definitely special, but that's Josh Naylor right there."
When asked if he hit himself with the bat just to celebrate, Naylor said, "Yeah, a little bit." He was asked if it hurt and he said, "Not really."
What a Kwan-derful Night
Kwan has had plenty of success against the A's in his career and Saturday was no different, batting 4-5 from the plate with a pair of doubles and runs scored. The 26-year-old outfielder boasts a .395 batting average against the A's with seven doubles, eight RBI, and a .953 OPS.
He also became the first player since Lou Boudreau in 1948 to record six or more games with three or more hits in the team's first 21 games. His early season success has done wonders for the rest of the lineup, and, according to Naylor, there's no better leadoff hitter in baseball.
"He's the best in the game," Naylor said after the win. "He's incredible. He's a professional, takes professional at-bats. He uses the entire field. I think it's incredible. … Steven [Kwan]'s an incredible leader, incredible player. [I would] totally play with him for my whole career. I love that guy. He's like a brother to me."
Nayl-ing Lefties
Naylor's home run was the latest damage the slugger has done to left-handed pitching in 2024, increasing his average to a lofty .368 batting average with two home runs and four RBI. For his career, Naylor has a .246 average against left-handed pitching.
Naylor isn't the only one, however, as Kwan has been hitting .364 this season against southpaws, and Guardians infielder Andres Gimenez is batting .333 against lefties. Entering Saturday's game against the A's, the team had the highest average against left-handed pitching in all of baseball, hitting .295 against them.
What's Next?
The Guardians will end the season series with the A's on Sunday at 1:40 PM at Progressive Field. The Guardians will look to get the series sweep with right-handed pitcher Tanner Bibee (1-0, 4.82) taking the mound for the Guardians, and the Athletics will counter with right-hander Ross Stripling (0-4, 5.32).
The Guardians are the first team to reach 15 wins in the MLB.
