once again, Cleveland Guardians are division champions.
Patrick Bailey AND Brian Rocchio each hit two of Cleveland’s five home runs as the Guardians prevailed Kansas City Royals 11-5 on Saturday night to win its third straight AL Central title.
Cleveland’s win coupled with Chicago’s 9-6 loss to Colorado gave the Guardians (85-76) a two-game lead over the second-place White Sox (83-78) with one game remaining in the regular season.
Jose Ramirez and Guardians are provided with headquarters no. 2 in the American League playoffs and a first-round bye in a best-of-five Division Series. They will have five days off and then home field advantage against the winner of a best-of-three Wild Card series between the No. 6 White Sox and Houston or Texas — whichever wins the AL West on Sunday.
It’s Cleveland’s seventh division crown in the last 11 seasons.
Kansas City jumped ahead Tanner Bibee for three runs in the first inning, highlighted by a double by Carter Jensen AND Jac Caglianone. But then Bibee shut out Kansas City as Cleveland quickly bounced back.
A field error from Bobby Witt Jr. at shortstop opened the Guardians’ four-run second inning. Bailey ripped a two-run homer off the right field foul pole and Cleveland grabbed a 4-3 lead when Steven KwanThe sliced liner avoided diving from left field Isaac Collins for an RBI triple — one of four extra-base hits in the inning.
After missing four games with a sprained right wrist, Chase DeLauter aligned Michael WachaThe third baseman’s second pitch into the right-field seats for his 16th home run.
Travis Bazzana tripled and scored the next run Nathaniel Lowehis sacrifice fly in the sixth, and Rocchio hit his 14th homer in the seventh. Bailey and Rocchio connected for back-to-back home runs to highlight a four-run ninth.
Nine of the Guardians’ 14 hits went for extra bases.
Bibee (7-15) allowed three runs and seven hits in six innings, striking out six. Cleveland has won nine of 10 games and five straight.
Wacha (9-10) worked 6 1/3 innings, allowing six runs – two earned – and six hits.
The last-place Royals (68-93) have dropped 11 of 13 and 18 of 24. Kansas City lost eight straight to end the season, its longest such streak since losing eight in a row from April 10 to May 7, 2023.
In continuation
The Guardians were undecided on the mound for their regular-season finale Sunday against LHP Daniel Lynch (6-6, 4.13 ERA) and the Royals.
Reporting by the Associated Press.