Guardians Edge Angels with Sixth Inning Surge in Anaheim

The Cleveland Guardians improved their record to 36-17 with a narrow 5-4 victory over the Los Angeles Angels, who now stand at 20-33. The game, held at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, saw the Guardians capitalize on key moments to secure the win.

The game began quietly for both teams, with neither side scoring in the first two innings. The Guardians broke through in the third inning when they scored two runs off one hit. This early lead set the tone for what would become a closely contested match.

In the fifth inning, the Angels responded by scoring two runs of their own on three hits, tying up the game and putting pressure back on Cleveland. However, it was in the sixth inning that Cleveland made their decisive move. With two hits and three runs scored during this frame, they managed to pull ahead significantly.

Cleveland's pitching staff played a crucial role throughout. Starter Ben Lively pitched seven innings and allowed only four hits while striking out five batters. His performance kept Los Angeles at bay until he handed over duties to Sam Hentges and Scott Barlow from the bullpen. Emmanuel Clase closed out the game successfully for his 17th save of the season.

On offense, Cleveland's ability to get on base was evident as they drew seven walks compared to Los Angeles' two. Despite having fewer hits overall (6 compared to 9), timely hitting and patience at bat allowed them to maximize their opportunities.

For Los Angeles, Reid Detmers took his fifth loss of this season despite pitching six innings where he gave up five runs but struck out eight batters. The Angels showed resilience by adding another pair of runs in an eighth-inning rally but ultimately fell short as they couldn't overcome Cleveland’s lead.

Defensively both teams were sharp; however, an error by Los Angeles added extra pressure during critical moments which may have contributed towards their defeat.

Looking ahead, fans can catch Cleveland's next game against Colorado Rockies scheduled for May 27th at Coors Field in Denver starting at 8:10 PM ET/6:10 PM MT broadcasted live on COLR network.