Bo Naylor hits his 1st career grand slam, Guardians beat Angels 7-1
By BRIAN DULIK
Associated Press
CLEVELAND (AP) — Bo Naylor hit his first career grand slam, Austin Hedges had his first homer since June 14 and the Cleveland Guardians beat the Los Angeles Angels 7-1 on Saturday night.
Naylor’s two-out blast to right in the sixth inning came off Angels starter Reid Detmers (3-3), who had loaded the bases on three walks.
“Anytime I’m out there, I’m ready to play and this was a great opportunity to help the Guardians win,” Naylor said. “This team is really resilient and we take everything super serious.”
The four RBIs were a career high for the third-year catcher.
“I just didn’t execute, the pitch was right in his honey hole,” Detmers said. “It’s frustrating, but that’s baseball. We’re going to get over it. We’re going to get past it.”
Hedges, batting .111 on the season, hit a two-run homer in the second. Ramón Laureano added a solo shot in the fourth for the Guardians, who have the second-best record in the American League at 21-12.
Cleveland left fielder Steven Kwan, who leads the AL with a .353 batting average, exited after the third inning with left hamstring tightness. He walked with a pronounced limp following the game.
Ben Lively (1-1) went six innings, giving up one run on four hits while striking out five. The right-hander ended a nine-start winless streak that included four losses since beating Kansas City on June 14.
“Ben has been great for us,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “He attacks with all of his pitches and is not afraid.”
The Angels trimmed their deficit to 3-1 in the fifth on Zach Neto’s single that plated Jo Adell, but Ehire Adrianza flew out with the bases loaded to end the threat. Neto and Adell each had stolen bases in the inning.
Los Angeles has not won consecutive games — or a series — in Cleveland since 2013, losing 24 of its last 27 at Progressive Field. The Angels beat the Guardians 6-0 in the three-game series opener.
Detmers, a lefty, allowed season highs of seven runs and three homers in 5 2/3 innings.
“Reid was competing, but he left a pitch over the plate to a left-hander (Naylor),” Los Angeles manager Ron Washington said. “In my wildest dreams, I would have never thought that would happen.”
Angels catcher Logan O’Hoppe was removed in the fifth with a right hand contusion, but said he planned to be back in the lineup Monday.
Guardians first baseman Josh Naylor, mired in a 4-for-33 slump, was given the night off.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Angels: 2B Luis Rengifo (illness) was held out of the lineup with a high fever after falling ill Friday. Rengifo has the fourth-highest batting average in the AL at .330 and is tied for second with nine stolen bases.
Guardians: LHP Sam Hentges (left middle finger inflammation), who has been on the injured list since March 25, has not allowed a run in 4 2/3 innings over four rehab appearances with Triple-A Columbus.
UP NEXT
Angels RHP Griffin Canning (1-3, 7.45 ERA) faces Guardians RHP Carlos Carrasco (1-2, 6.59 ERA) in the series finale Sunday.
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