DENVER (AP) — José Ramírez doubled home the go-ahead run in the 10th inning, lifting the Cleveland Guardians to a 4-3 win over the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday night.
Ramírez also had a two-run single and Josh Naylor doubled twice and had an RBI hit for Cleveland. Charlie Blackmon hit his 10th home run of the season, a tying two-run drive in the bottom of the seventh inning, and C.J. Cron had a run-scoring triple for the Rockies.
Ramírez ground sharply into right field off the first pitch he saw from Robert Stephenson (0-1), scoring designated runner Amed Rosario from second base.
Bryan Shaw (2-0) pitched a scoreless ninth for the victory and Emmanuel Clase got three outs for his 12th save as the Guardians tagged out designated runner Blackmon in a rundown between home and third for the first out in the 10th before Cron ground into a game-ending double play.
Blackmon advanced to third when Yonathan Daza reached on second baseman Andrés Giménez’s fielding error. Brendan Rodgers then hit a slow dribbler back towards the mound that Clase fielded and flipped to catcher Austin Hedges as Blackmon broke for the plate.
Blackmon headed back to third, chased by Hedges but reversed course and again charged for home when the ball fell from Hedges’ glove. But the Cleveland catcher quickly retrieved it and threw to Clase, covering home. Blackmon again ran back for third and Clase was right behind him, ultimately getting the ball to third baseman Ramirez who tagged out Blackmon.
“Clase has done a lot of work at fielding his position and in that situation, we needed to come home,” Hedges said. “I was yelling for it and Clase made a nice athletic play. I made an extremely unathletic play, but we ended up getting the out and then Clase finished the job.”
Said Rockies manager Bud Black:…