The Cleveland Guardians dominated the Miami Marlins in an 8-0 victory on Saturday night, with Ben Lively securing his fifth straight win on the mound. Lively pitched a gem, allowing just three hits, walking none, and striking out one, lowering his ERA to an impressive 2.59. Sam Hentges and Pedro Avila combined to shut out the Marlins, with Avila earning his first big league save.
The Guardians’ offense was firing on all cylinders, with José Ramirez and Steven Kwan both hitting home runs. Ramirez, who leads the major leagues with 61 RBIs, launched his 18th homer of the season in the first inning. Josh Naylor also had a strong performance, contributing two hits and driving in two runs for the AL Central-leading Guardians.
On the other side, the struggling Marlins couldn’t get anything going offensively, mustering just four hits and failing to advance runners into scoring position. Starter Roddery Muñoz had a rough outing, giving up four runs, five hits, and five walks in four-plus innings.
The game took a turn in the fifth inning when Cleveland broke it wide open with a six-run outburst, highlighted by Kwan’s two-run homer. Manager Stephen Vogt made the decision to pull Lively after a 28-minute half inning to ensure the pitcher’s health.
The Guardians will look to continue their winning ways in the series finale on Sunday, with RHP Carlos Carrasco taking the mound. The Marlins will counter with LHP Trevor Rogers as they try to bounce back from their recent struggles.