Cantillo strikes out 9, Rocchio and DeLauter homer as Guardians beat Marlins to sweep series
MIAMI (AP) -- Joey Cantillo struck out nine over five innings of one-run ball, Brayan Rocchio homered and drove in two and the Cleveland Guardians beat the Miami Marlins 5-2 on Sunday to complete a three-game sweep.
Rookie Chase DeLauter also went deep while Steven Kwan and Kahlil Watson each had two hits for the Guardians, who are 51-46 going into the All-Star break.
The Marlins had won six straight at home entering the series and were a major league-best 26-8 since June 1. They enter the break at 52-45.
Cantillo (8-4) allowed six hits and walked two. The left-hander escaped a bases-loaded situation with no outs in the second, when he retired Esteury Ruiz on a pop-out before striking out Rece Hinds and Brian Navarreto.
Cleveland starters limited Miami to four runs over 17 2/3 innings in the series, while relievers allowed two runs over the remaining 9 1/3 innings.
The Marlins’ Otto López, who had a major league-leading .345 batting average before the opener, went 0-for-12 in the series and his average dropped 11 points.
Franco Aleman, Hunter Gaddis and Shawn Armstrong each followed Cantillo with a scoreless inning. Griffin Conine hit a solo homer off closer Cade Smith, who pitched the ninth.
Run-scoring singles from Rocchio and Kyle Manzardo against Miami starter Tyler Phillips in the first gave Cleveland an early lead.
The Marlins narrowed the deficit on Xavier Edwards’ RBI single in the third.
Rocchio homered to lead off the fifth and give Cleveland another two-run advantage. He drove a fastball from Marlins reliever Michael Petersen over the wall in right for his eighth homer.
Watson’s RBI single in the seventh made it 4-1 before DeLauter connected off Pete Fairbanks with a solo drive in the ninth.
Although Phillips (2-4) has moved into the Marlins’ rotation after beginning the season as a reliever, his appearance on Sunday was limited in the bullpen game. Phillips exited after the first as the Marlins used six relievers.
Up next
Guardians: Open a three-game home series against Pittsburgh on Friday.
Marlins: Will begin a three-game road series at Milwaukee on Friday.
SATURDAY
Tanner Bibee, Guardians cool off Marlins with 4-1 win
MIAMI (AP) -- Tanner Bibee threw 6 2/3 solid innings, Steven Kwan and Patrick Bailey hit two-run doubles and the Cleveland Guardians beat the Miami Marlins 4-1 on Saturday.
Gabriel Arias had three hits for the Guardians, who clinched the series after winning the opener 3-2 on Friday. The Marlins, who lost their first series since June 14-16 at Philadelphia, had won six consecutive home series.
Bibee (3-9) gave up one run and four hits, walked four and struck out three. Colin Holderman pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his first save.
Miami starter Eury Pérez (5-7), who pitched seven perfect innings in his previous outing at the Athletics on July 5, allowed two runs and eight hits over six innings. The right-hander walked two and struck out six.
Kwan’s double in the fourth put Cleveland ahead 2-0. Arias and Petey Halpin had consecutive singles and both scored when Kwan hit an opposite filed grounder that rolled inside the line and toward the left-field foul area.
Liam Hicks hit an RBI single in the seventh.
Bailey answered with a two-run double in the eighth. After Kyle Manzardo was hit by a pitch and Kahlil Watson doubled, Bailey fell behind the count 0-2 against reliever William Kempner worked it to a full count then hit a line drive which bounced off the left-field wall.
Xavier Edwards hit a two-out single to left with runners on first and second in the third that appeared to give Miami an early lead. But as lead runner Otto López neared home, Kwan threw to second, where trail runner Kyle Stowers overran the bag and was tagged for the third out before López touched the plate.