Guardians Survive Missed Opportunities, Late Drama to Edge Orioles in Pivotal Series Opener

The Cleveland Guardians proved once again why they lead the American League in clutch hitting, overcoming a frustrating string of early missed chances to rally past the Baltimore Orioles 5-4 in a tense Friday night showdown at Progressive Field. In a game that saw Cleveland strand 12 baserunners through seven innings—including leaving the bases loaded twice—it was Steven Kwan’s triumphant return from injury and an unlikely eighth-inning heroics from rookie reliever Hunter Gaddis that ultimately sealed a victory with major playoff implications for both clubs. The Guardians’ ability to produce when it mattered most, going 4-for-5 with runners in scoring position after the sixth inning, contrasted sharply with their 1-for-10 start in those situations and demonstrated the resilience that has defined their surprising season.

Kwan’s impact in his first game back from a month-long hamstring absence couldn’t have been more immediate or dramatic. The sparkplug leadoff hitter, activated off the injured list just hours before first pitch, laced a game-tying RBI single in the seventh inning before scoring the go-ahead run on José Ramírez’s sacrifice fly—a sequence that sent the sold-out crowd into delirium. His 2-for-4 night with two runs scored provided exactly the jolt Cleveland’s offense had been missing during his absence, with the team’s OPS dropping nearly 40 points without their table-setter. “That’s Steven Kwan baseball,” manager Terry Francona said afterward. “We don’t win tonight without his at-bats in big spots.”

The Guardians’ late-game execution masked what had been shaping up as another frustrating offensive performance against Orioles pitching. Cleveland loaded the bases with nobody out in both the first and fifth innings against Dean Kremer but managed just one run combined from those opportunities, with Josh Naylor’s double play and Andrés Giménez’s strikeout typifying their early struggles. For six innings, it appeared Baltimore might escape despite Kremer’s shaky command (five walks) thanks to timely double plays and a Herculean effort from their bullpen. That all changed in the seventh when Kwan and Ramírez—Cleveland’s two most consistent hitters all season—delivered back-to-back clutch hits against All-Star reliever Yennier Cano, who had allowed just three earned runs since May prior to Friday’s collapse.

Gaddis, making his first appearance since being recalled from Triple-A Columbus, provided the unlikeliest of stabilizing forces. The 25-year-old right-hander, who had a 7.27 ERA in his previous big league stint this season, entered with two on and nobody out in the eighth and promptly struck out Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson before inducing an Anthony Santander flyout to preserve the lead. His unexpected dominance against the heart of Baltimore’s order set up Emmanuel Clase for his MLB-leading 32nd save, a clean ninth that featured two strikeouts and reminded everyone why Cleveland’s bullpen remains one of baseball’s most underrated assets.

For the Orioles, the loss wasted another strong offensive performance from their young core and exposed ongoing concerns about their pitching depth. Ryan Mountcastle continued his torrid August with a two-run homer in the first inning, while Henderson and Rutschman combined for four hits atop the lineup. But Baltimore’s bullpen, which had shown signs of stabilizing after a brutal stretch, reverted to its recent struggles at the worst possible moment. Cano’s rare meltdown—he allowed three straight hits to open the seventh—was compounded by Cionel Pérez’s inability to clean up the mess, as the lefty surrendered the decisive sac fly to Ramírez. The Orioles have now lost nine of 12, with their relievers posting an 8.43 ERA over that span while blowing five saves.

The game’s pivotal sequence came in that fateful seventh inning, with Cleveland trailing 4-3. Kwan worked a seven-pitch at-bat against Cano before punching a single through the right side to score Myles Straw, showing no rust despite his long layoff. Ramírez followed by driving a first-pitch cutter deep enough to left field to plate Kwan, demonstrating the situational hitting that has made him an MVP candidate. These were the types of at-bats that had eluded Cleveland earlier in the night—and the Orioles all season in late-game spots. Baltimore’s inability to counterpunch in the eighth against Gaddis, a pitcher with a career 6.59 ERA entering the night, underscored their ongoing struggles against power arms in high-leverage situations.

Defensively, the Guardians made several plays that won’t show up in the box score but proved critical. Straw’s diving catch in center field robbed Santander of extra bases in the fourth, while Giménez’s ranging stop up the middle prevented what would have been a go-ahead RBI single for Henderson in the sixth. These moments kept Cleveland within striking distance until their offense finally broke through, a testament to the club’s all-around game that has them leading the AL Central despite lacking star power.

Baltimore’s frustration boiled over in the ninth when manager Brandon Hyde was ejected arguing a checked swing call against Ramón Urías—the Orioles’ MLB-leading seventh ejection this season. The heated exchange with first base umpire Junior Valentine symbolized a team feeling the pressure of their recent slide, with their once-comfortable wild-card lead now down to just two games over surging Houston. Hyde’s postgame comments hinted at growing urgency, saying “we need to start winning these close ones or we’re going home in October.”

For Cleveland, the victory reinforced their reputation as baseball’s most clutch team. The Guardians now lead MLB with a .294 average with runners in scoring position in late innings, a stark contrast to their .227 mark in those situations early in games. This Jekyll-and-Hyde offensive personality has become their trademark, with Francona’s club specializing in wearing down opponents until they finally crack. Friday marked their 23rd comeback win of the season—third-most in baseball—and improved their record in one-run games to an astonishing 21-11.

As both teams prepare for the remainder of this crucial series, the takeaways couldn’t be more different. Cleveland leaves Friday’s game buoyed by Kwan’s return and another demonstration of their never-say-die approach, while Baltimore faces mounting questions about their bullpen usage and late-game execution. With the trade deadline looming, the Orioles may need to accelerate plans to acquire relief help, while the Guardians can feel increasingly confident about their internal options—especially if Gaddis can build on his electrifying debut.

In a matchup featuring two surprise contenders, it was the team that’s made a habit of overcoming adversity that once again found a way. The Guardians didn’t play their cleanest game, but when the pressure mounted, they delivered the types of at-bats and pitches that separate playoff teams from pretenders. For the Orioles, the search for answers continues, with time running short to fix what ails them before the stretch run begins in earnest. One thing is certain after Friday’s thriller: when these teams meet again Saturday, the stakes will feel even higher, and the margin for error even smaller.