Cleveland Guardians vs San Francisco Giants

The Guardians ambushed Giants starter Landen Roupp (7-13) in the bottom of the first. Steven Kwan worked a lead-off walk, Travis Bazzana singled to put runners on the corners, and José Ramírez ripped an RBI single to right that scored Kwan and moved Bazzana to third. Nate Lowe followed with a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Bazzana to make it 2-0. After Angel Genao reached on a fielder's choice that was compounded by a Willy Adames throwing error (his 18th), Patrick Bailey singled to centre to drive in Ramírez. Cleveland led 3-0 before Roupp recorded the third out.

San Francisco halved the deficit in the fourth. Rafael Devers singled to left-centre, and Willy Adames crushed a first-pitch fastball from Williams to centre field for a two-run home run — his 20th of the season — cutting the lead to 3-2.

Cleveland answered in the sixth. Angel Martinez singled and Patrick Bailey walked, but Petey Halpin grounded into a fielder's choice that erased Martinez at third. Brayan Rocchio flied out, bringing Kwan to the plate with two outs. Kwan delivered an RBI single to centre, scoring Bailey to restore a two-run lead at 4-2.

The Guardians added insurance in the eighth. Halpin singled and advanced to third on a JT Brubaker wild pitch. Rocchio singled to right, scoring Halpin for a 5-2 advantage.

The Giants threatened in the ninth when Cade Smith walked two batters, but Smith induced a strikeout and a line-out to end the game.

Adames' home run brought the Giants within one in the fourth, but Williams responded by retiring five of the next six batters he faced, striking out three. He exited after 5.2 innings with the lead intact, and Cleveland's bullpen — Tim Herrin, Erik Sabrowski, Hunter Gaddis and Smith — covered the final 3.1 frames without conceding a run.

Gavin Williams (CLE): W (12-7) — 5.2 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 11 K, 96 pitches/60 strikes. Allowed only one extra-base hit (Adames' homer) and stranded a runner in scoring position in the fifth.

Steven Kwan (CLE): 1-for-2 with three walks, an RBI (the go-ahead two-out single in the sixth) and a run scored. Reached base four times in five plate appearances, including the lead-off walk that started the three-run first.

Patrick Bailey (CLE): 2-for-3 with an RBI (two-out single in the first), a walk and a stolen base. Reached base three times and scored a run.

Cade Smith (CLE): SV (32) — 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 20 pitches (12 strikes). Converted his 32nd save in 36 opportunities despite an eventful ninth.

Williams' 11 strikeouts brought his season total to 201, securing his first career 200-strikeout campaign. The Giants struck out 12 times as a team and went 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position, unable to capitalise on Smith's control issues in the ninth.

Cleveland out-hit San Francisco 9-5 and committed no errors to the Giants' two — an Adames throwing error in the first contributed to the three-run outburst, and an Osleivis Basabe error (his second) added a second unearned run to Roupp's line.

The Guardians converted 3-of-9 chances with runners in scoring position; the Giants managed just one extra-base hit, Adames' 20th home run.

Cleveland improves to 62-66, remaining third in the AL Central, 10.5 games behind the division-leading Kansas City Royals. San Francisco drops to 52-75, fourth in the NL West and 21.5 games back of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Both sides are headed toward non-playoff finishes.

The four-game series continues Friday evening at Progressive Field.

A clean, efficient win built on a three-run first and a dominant start from Williams, who overpowered a Giants lineup that ranks 14th in the National League. Cleveland's bullpen did enough — just — and one shaky ninth aside, Smith closed the door.