Patrick Sandoval’s struggles continue in Angels’ loss to Guardians
José Ramírez went deep twice and started a run of three straight homers in the fourth inning as the Cleveland Guardians extended their winning streak to seven with a 10-4 victory over the Angels on Friday night.
Ramirez had a pair of two-run shots into the rockpile beyond the center field fence at Angel Stadium during the third and fourth innings. It was the 24th multihomer game of Ramirez’s career and his first since last July 30 against the Chicago White Sox.
Josh Naylor and David Fry also went deep in the fourth as the Guardians became the first team in the majors this season to go back-to-back-to-back.
“I go on and on about José every night it seems like,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “But with José, Naylor and David going back-to-back-to-back, it’s just cool. It’s something you don’t witness very often, and so it’s just fun to celebrate that when it does happen.”
Commissioner Rob Manfred says MLB players prefer a challenge system to replacing umpires with the automated ball-strike robot currently used in triple A.
Logan Allen (6-2) won his third straight start after he allowed three runs and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings. The left-hander struck out seven for the second game in a row and threw a season-high 99 pitches.
The Guardians have won seven straight in May for the first time since 2001, but it hasn’t helped them gain any separation in the AL Central. At 34-17, Cleveland is 1 1/2 games ahead of Kansas City, which also has run off seven straight victories.
Luis Rengifo had three hits, including a home run in the second, as the Halos’ struggles at home continued. They won four of six on the road coming into Friday’s game, but are 6-17 at The Big A.
Jo Adell and Logan O’Hoppe added solo homers in the sixth and eighth innings, respectively, but Patrick Sandoval allowed a career-high eight runs — all earned — in 3 2/3 innings. Sandoval is 2-7 with a 5.60 ERA in 11 starts this season.
“Too much of the strike zone. He couldn’t get the ball where he wanted to get it. I thought at some point, especially after the third inning he would straighten it out, and it didn’t happen,” manager Ron Washington said.
The Guardians were up 4-2 with two outs in the fourth before putting it out of reach with their three-homer onslaught.
After Andrés Giménez got aboard with a base hit, Ramírez followed with a two-run shot to center for his second homer of the game.
The homer was Ramirez’s 14th of the season, tied for fifth in the majors. With four RBIs, he moved past Atlanta’s Marcell Ozuna for the MLB lead with 49.
“It’s a combination of having a good plan, executing and getting the results,” Ramirez said though an interpreter.
On the next pitch, Naylor chased Sandoval with a drive into the bleachers in right-center for his 13th, which is tied for seventh.
The agreement intended to bind the Athletics to Las Vegas provides the team with an unusual escape clause: If ever a tax is aimed at the A’s, the team can leave town without penalty.
José Suarez came in for Sandoval. But two pitches in, Fry drove a fastball into the Guardians’ bullpen in left field.
It was the first time Cleveland has had three straight homers since June 18, 2019, at Texas.
Coincidentally, the Angels were also the last team to allow a team to go deep three straight times. The Texas Rangers had three straight solo shots against the Halos on Sept. 25, 2023.
Injury update: Angels shortstop Zach Neto was out of the lineup due to right elbow inflammation. Neto left during the fifth inning of Wednesday’s game at Houston when he felt discomfort after making a high throw to first.
Up next: Right-hander Tanner Bibee (2-1, 3.93) takes the mound for the Guardians and right-hander José Soriano (2-4, 3.30) gets the start for the Angels in the middle game of the series.
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