Guardians beat Phillies 3-1; Hoskins, Bazzana, Messick shine
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Philadelphia: The Cleveland Guardians defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 3-1 on Sunday, as Rhys Hoskins hit an RBI double in the sixth and Travis Bazzana homered in the eighth; Parker Messick worked 5 2/3 shutout innings and Steven Kwan drove in the first run in the fifth. Cade Smith closed with a perfect ninth for his MLB-leading 18th save, completing Cleveland's eighth victory in nine games.
Cleveland's win extended a hot stretch this week, leaving the Guardians atop the AL Central one-third into the season; their starters' 3.46 rotation ERA and recent 2.16 ERA over two weeks underscore pitching depth. Philadelphia managed a lone run on Bryce Harper's sacrifice fly, and the Phillies will travel home to begin a road set this week.
More context
Timeline
- 1. Season progressed to roughly one-third complete with teams building early records and statistics.
- 2. Guardians completed a 6-1 road trip through Detroit and Philadelphia, allowing 12 runs total in seven games.
- 3. Sunday: Guardians beat Phillies 3-1 in Philadelphia; Kwan, Hoskins and Bazzana supplied key offensive plays.
- 4. Parker Messick recorded 5 2/3 shutout innings and improved to a 6-1 record on Sunday.
- 5. Cade Smith recorded a perfect ninth for his MLB-leading 18th save, and Cleveland reached eight wins in nine games.
Why it matters
If you're a Guardians fan, this is a moment to savor. Their strong start to the season, particularly their pitching, is a good sign. If you're a Phillies fan, it's a tough loss, but there's still plenty of baseball left. Either way, keep an eye on these teams as the season progresses.
Sources
JQJO Editorial Desk · Human reviewed · AI assisted. Report a correction.
