A 6-run 8th inning leads Guardians past Padres 7-0 | News, Sports, Jobs

Cleveland Guardians’ Daniel Schneemann watches his RBI single against San Diego Padres starting pitcher Matt Waldron as catcher Kyle Higashioka looks on during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Cleveland, Friday, July 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

CLEVELAND (AP) — José Ramírez’s two-run single highlighted a six-run eighth inning, Tanner Bibee and three relievers combined for four hits and the American League Central-leading Cleveland Guardians beat the San Diego Padres 7-0 on Friday night.

Cleveland had five hits and a bases-loaded single by David Fry in the eighth, but the biggest hit was a single up the middle by Ramírez that gave him 79 RBIs — second-most in the majors behind Yankees slugger Aaron Judge (86).

Brayan Rocchio added a two-run single and Tyler Freeman had a sacrifice fly in the inning for the Guardians, who have the best home record in the majors at 31-11. Their overall mark of 59-37 is bested only by Philadelphia’s 62-35.

Bibee (8-4) worked 5 2/3 innings, limited San Diego to two hits and allowed no runners past second base. Cade Smith, Hunter Gaddis and Nick Sandlin completed Cleveland’s ninth shutout of the season.

The Padres, who have played 100 games total (the most in MLB), have fallen to .500. They are 1 1/2 games out of the final wild-card spot in the NL.

Luis Arraez led off for San Diego and was the designated hitter, going 2-for-4. The third-time All-Star missed this week’s Midsummer Classic in Texas to rest his bruised left thumb.

“I know he wanted to play, but being a team player that he is, Luis decided to hold back,” manager Mike Shildt said before the game. “I think it did his thumb a lot of good.”

The Guardians took a 1-0 lead in the fifth inning on a double by Daniel Schneemann to Matt Waldron (5-9). Fry scored on the play to go 3 for 3, three days after driving in a run in his All-Star Game debut.

Waldron surrendered six hits, walked none and struck out six. The righty was drafted by Cleveland and traded to the Padres in a nine-player deal that included Josh Naylor.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Padres: OF Fernando Tatis Jr. (right leg stress reaction) missed his 18th straight game but is swinging a bat and playing catch. “It’s still there — the real stress reaction — but the swelling and the fluid are pretty much gone,” Shildt said. “That’s definitely positive.”

Guardians: LHP Matthew Boyd (Tommy John surgery) struck out seven batters in three innings, allowing an unearned run, in his first rehab appearance for the Arizona Complex League Guardians. Boyd is targeting mid-August for his return to the majors.

NEXT ONE

Padres RHP Dylan Cease (8-8, 3.99 ERA) faces Guardians RHP Gavin Williams (0-1, 3.77 ERA) in Game 2 of the series. Cease has thrown 1,078 breaking balls in his 20 starts, the most in the majors.