Matthew Boyd outperformed Landon Knack with five scoreless innings, and Andrés Giménez hit a two-run home run in the sixth inning, leading the Cleveland Guardians to a 3-1 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night in a game featuring two division leaders.
The Dodgers, who lead the NL West, only had two baserunners in the first five innings. Mookie Betts doubled in the first inning after Boyd had hit Teoscar Hernández in the foot.
In the bottom of the sixth, Shohei Ohtani hit a home run for his 45th of the season and matched his career high with 100 RBIs, making the score 2-1 and leaving the Dodgers behind.
In the eighth inning, the Dodgers had the bases loaded with one out. Ohtani had a single, Betts doubled, and Freddie Freeman was intentionally walked by reliever Hunter Gaddis.
Chris Taylor, who had come in for Hernández, grounded into a double play, ending the Dodgers’ threat.
Boyd (2-1) gave up one run and three hits in six innings. He struck out six batters and walked none.
“It was a good day,” Boyd said. “Guys made great plays behind me, the bullpen came in and shut down so it was awesome.”
Emmanuel Clase closed the game with a perfect ninth inning to earn his AL-tying 42nd save.
Bryan Rocchio singled to start the sixth inning, and one out later, Giménez hit Knack’s first pitch into right field for a 2-0 lead.
In the eighth inning, Rocchio added a solo home run off Anthony Banda that landed in the Dodgers’ bullpen, making the score 3-1. The game was played in 86-degree weather (30 Celsius), though it had reached over 100 degrees (37 Celsius) earlier in the day. Because of the extreme heat, the Dodgers are skipping batting practice this weekend.
Knack (2-3) did not allow a hit until José Ramírez singled in the fifth inning. That was only the second baserunner for the AL Central-leading Guardians, after Kyle Manzardo walked in the second inning.
