In a game heard on WHOW, pinch-hitter Bo Naylor delivered a sacrifice fly to center field with one out in the ninth inning, sending the Cleveland Guardians to a 7-6 win over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night.
Andrés Giménez opened the inning single off Michael Kopech (2-7), went to second on a groundout and took third on a wild pitch by the right-hander, who snagged his cleat on the mound while making his delivery.
Naylor, who has bumped his average over .200 by hitting .304 in his last 15 games, then lifted a 3-2 pitch deep enough to score Giménez as center fielder Luis Robert Jr., playing more shallow than usual, didn't bother making a throw home.
Rookie Daniel Schneemann and Tyler Freeman hit two-run homers for the Guardians, who won their sixth straight at Progressive Field and improved MLB’s best home record to 27-9 - matching the 1938 club for the best start after 36 games.
They also evened their record this season to 4-4 against the lowly White Sox, who have the majors’ worst record (24-63). Chicago dropped to 7-17 in one-run games.
Cleveland closer Emmanuel Clase (4-1) pitched a 1-2-3 ninth, helped by a diving catch from Freeman in center.
Andrew Vaughn also homered for the White Sox, who are 0-14 in road series openers.
Down 6-3, the White Sox tied it in the seventh on an RBI double by Lenyn Sosa and Robert's two-run single.
Batting leadoff for just the second time this season, Robert tied it 3-all in the sixth with his homer.
Guardians RHP Gavin Williams makes his season debut after being sidelined with an elbow injury. He'll face White Sox RHP Erick Fedde (5-3, 3.23), who has been mentioned in numerous trade rumors ahead of the June 30 deadline. Hear tonight's action on WHOW.
