José Ramírez homers as AL Central-leading Guardians end 3-game slide with 5-4 win over Tigers

CLEVELAND (AP) — José Ramírez homered for the first time in July and drove in two runs as the Cleveland Guardians ended their three-game losing streak with a 5-4 win over the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday night.

Ramírez connected in the fifth inning off Joey Wentz (0-2) to help the AL Central-leading Guardians get just their third win in 10 games. Ramírez added an RBI single in the sixth.

Cleveland’s 60-40 record through 100 games is the club’s best mark over the span since the 1999 team also went 60-40. The Guardians are the only AL team this season not to lose four in a row.

Ramírez’s first homer since June 29 put Cleveland up 3-2 in the fifth.

The All-Star third baseman fell behind 1-2 against Wentz before yanking a fastball over the wall in left for his 24th homer, ending his long-ball drought after 74 at-bats.

“I’m sure the pressure valve got released for him,” said Guardians manager Stephen Vogt. “It might’ve been the longest stretch of his life without hitting a home run there. This is one of the elite players in the league. He’s going to go through those times.

“Every single player on the planet goes through stretches like that, but just a couple nights in a row with some hits and he’s starting to look like himself.”

Steven Kwan and rookie Jhonkensy Noel added solo homers for Cleveland, which has been in an offensive rut for weeks. The Guardians came in having scored two or fewer runs in six of their past eight games.

“We played Guardians baseball with a little bit of pop, had some good pitching,” said Kwan, who leads the majors with a .347 average. “We had some situational hitting, some homers too. It felt like it was a complete team win. All pistons were firing on that one. That’s a good way to get momentum rolling.”

Wenceel Pérez hit a two-run homer for the Tigers, 11-4 since July 5.

Trailing 5-2, Detroit scored two in the seventh on a sacrifice fly and Zach McKinstry’s heads-up baserunning.

McKinstry, who doubled with one out, was on third and alertly broke for the plate when Guardians reliever Hunter Gaddis tried to pick Matt Vierling off first and his throw got stuck under the Detroit center fielder’s body.

Rookie Cade Smith (5-1) pitched a hitless 1 2/3 innings, Scott Barlow stranded the tying run in the eighth and Emmanuel Clase worked a perfect ninth for his league-leading 30th save.

Clase now has 140 saves with Cleveland, passing Bob Wickman for the second most in club history. Cody Allen (149) has the team record.

“This is a really hard team to try and win in the latter third of the game,” said Tigers manager A.J. Hinch. “This team across the way, their bullpen has been part of the reason why they’re in first place.”

Noel tied it 2-2 in the fourth with a towering homer onto the pedestrian plaza in left. Noel jumped on the first pitch from Alex Faedo, the second of five pitchers used by Hinch in a bullpen game.

Pérez put the Tigers ahead 2-1 in the fourth with a shot to right-center that followed Mark Canha’s one-out double.

Kwan connected for Cleveland’s first homer in five games in the third.

Vogt became the first Cleveland manager to win 60 of his first 100 games since Al Lopez went 61-39 in 1951.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Tigers: OF Parker Meadows (right hamstring strain) is scheduled to run the bases on Wednesday as he moves closer to activation. He’s been increasing baseball activities and could soon be sent on a rehab assignment. ... Tests revealed RHP Reese Olson (right shoulder strain) does not have any structural issues. For now, he’ll be restricted from throwing while resting in Detroit.

Guardians: LHP Sam Hentges (shoulder inflammation) has started his rehab throwing program. He was placed on the 15-day injured list on July 11.

Tigers RHP Jack Flaherty (7-5, 3.13 ERA) starts amid strong speculation he’ll be traded in the next week. He’ll start against Guardians RHP Tanner Bibee (8-4, 3.58).

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