DENVER (AP) — Jo Adell homered, Tanner Bibee threw six solid innings for his first victory in a month and the Cleveland Guardians held on to beat the Colorado Rockies 4-3 on Saturday night.
The win, coupled with Texas’ 3-0 loss to the Los Angeles Angels, moved Cleveland into a tie with the Rangers for the last AL wild card. The Guardians have won three straight.
Jose Ramirez singled in the fourth for his 1,752nd career hit, which is fifth on the franchise list.
Bibee, whose last victory was July 20, has been victimized by lack of run support all year. Entering Saturday, Cleveland was shut out in seven of his 22 starts and the offense averaged 3.05 runs when he is on the mound, the lowest among qualified pitchers.
He struck out Connor Norby and Willi Castro to end his night — with the last strike coming on a challenge by catcher Patrick Bailey — to record his 16th quality start of the season. Norby led off the ninth with a home run off of Cade Smith, who got the next three batters for his 33rd save.
Mickey Moniak homered for Colorado, which has lost eight straight at home and five in a row overall. Gabriel Hughes (0-5) is still seeking his first major league victory after eight starts and nine overall appearances.
The Guardians took the lead when Adell followed Ramirez’s milestone single with a three-run homer, his 20th of the season. Colorado got a run back in the bottom of the inning and Moniak hit his 21st home run with two outs in the fifth to make it 3-2.
Bailey had a two-out RBI single in the sixth.
Up next
Guardians RHP Foster Griffin (14-4, 3.18) was set to start Sunday against Rockies RHP Tomoyuki Sugano (12-6, 4.70).
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Michael Kelly, The Associated Press
