José Ramírez delivered his 11th home run of the season. Gavin Williams turned in a dominant performance on the mound, leading the Cleveland Guardians to a 4-2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday afternoon at Progressive Field. Cleveland secured the series with the win, taking two of three from the visiting Angels.
The game’s pivotal moment came in the bottom of the fourth inning when Ramírez led off with a solo home run to right-center off Angels starter Jack Kochanowicz. The homer extended Cleveland’s lead to 2-0, adding to Ramírez’s team-leading home run total. The Guardians continued their offensive surge in the frame, as Nolan Jones followed with a two-run single with the bases loaded, pushing the margin to 4-0.
Williams (5-3) was dominant on the mound for Cleveland, holding the Angels hitless through 5 2/3 innings. His no-hit bid was broken up in the sixth when Zach Neto singled to right field. Despite allowing two unearned runs, Williams completed 6 2/3 innings, giving up just one hit, walking two, and striking out six. The performance marked the first time in his 44 career starts that he did not allow a hit through five innings.
Cleveland’s bullpen preserved the lead, with Emmanuel Clase recording a clean ninth inning to earn his 13th save of the season.
Los Angeles was unable to generate consistent offense throughout the game. Angels outfielder Mike Trout, who had been out of the starting lineup, entered as a substitute in the seventh inning and contributed an RBI single. Trout was activated on Friday after missing nearly a month due to a bone bruise in his left knee. He finished the series 5-for-10, continuing to show signs of returning to form.
Ramírez, among the American League’s most consistent hitters, extended his on-base streak to 28 games. Since April 30, he has hit .394 with six home runs, 15 RBIs, and an OPS of 1.115, helping to anchor Cleveland’s lineup during its strong start to the season.
Kochanowicz (3-7) lost for Los Angeles after allowing four runs on five hits over five innings. He also walked two and struck out three in his outing.
The Guardians’ record has improved to 21-9 since May 4, one of the best marks in the American League during that stretch. They continue to gain momentum heading into a high-profile road series.
Looking ahead, Cleveland travels to New York to open a three-game series against the Yankees on Tuesday. Right-hander Tanner Bibee (4-5, 3.86 ERA) is scheduled to start. The Angels, meanwhile, continue their road trip with a three-game series in Boston beginning Monday. Left-hander Tyler Anderson (2-2, 3.39 ERA) will get the start in the opener.
Betting lines for Cleveland’s next game in New York have the Yankees listed as -140 favorites, while the Guardians are priced at +120 underdogs. The over/under for the contest is set at 8.5 runs. The odds are tighter for the Angels-Red Sox opener, with Boston favored at -115 and Los Angeles at -105, with a projected total of 9 runs.