Cleveland Guardians Fall to Texas Rangers in 5-3 Defeat

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Texas Rangers secured a 5-3 victory over the Cleveland Guardians on Friday night, with Corey Seager and Leody Tavares each contributing two runs. This loss marked the Guardians' third consecutive defeat as they strive to maintain their lead in the AL Central. Rangers pitcher Nathan Eovaldi (9-7) delivered a solid performance, allowing three runs and seven hits over six innings, while David Robertson faced some challenges in the eighth but ultimately struck out Lane Thomas. Kirby Yates closed the game with a perfect ninth inning, earning his 23rd save of the season. Guardians starter Tanner Bibee (10-6) struggled early, falling behind 4-0 but managed to complete 5 2/3 innings, giving up four runs and eight hits. The Rangers extended their lead in the seventh inning when Adolis García hit a two-out double off rookie reliever Cade Smith. Rangers manager Bruce Bochy expressed satisfaction with Jacob deGrom's performance, noting the two-time NL Cy Young winner's ability to reach 100 mph during a strikeout, despite his limited appearances since signing a lucrative contract in 2023. Concerns loom for the Rangers regarding three-time Cy Young winner Max Scherzer, who had to postpone a rehab start due to shoulder issues. Meanwhile, the Guardians are optimistic about the return of RHP Alex Cobb, who is recovering from a broken fingernail and is expected to be eligible to return from the injured list on September 1. The series continues with RHP Ben Lively (10-8, 3.68) set to face Rangers RHP Jon Gray (5-4, 3.75) in the middle game.