Guardians Sweep Angels as Martinez, Messick Shine in 4-2 Victory
CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Guardians completed a dominant three-game sweep of the Los Angeles Angels with a 4-2 win Wednesday, powered by Angel Martinez’s early homer and another stellar performance from rookie pitcher Parker Messick.
Martinez set the tone immediately, crushing a leadoff home run off Angels starter Reid Detmers (1-4) on the fourth pitch of the game. It marked Martinez’s first career leadoff homer and extended Cleveland’s remarkable home dominance over Los Angeles—the Guardians are now 30-4 against the Angels at Progressive Field since 2015, the best home record by any MLB team in that span.
Messick (5-1) delivered 6 2/3 strong innings, allowing just two runs on four hits while working through early command issues. The left-hander found his rhythm after walking two batters in the first two frames, stifling the Angels’ lineup the rest of the way.
The Guardians’ bullpen sealed the deal, with Eric Sabrowski striking out the side in the eighth and Cade Smith doing the same in the ninth for his 13th save.
Angels’ Struggles Continue
Los Angeles, now losers of 11 of their last 12 road games, briefly threatened in the fifth inning when Zach Neto—recently dropped to sixth in the batting order—launched a two-run homer to cut Cleveland’s lead to 3-2. But the Guardians responded in the sixth with Daniel Schneemann’s RBI single, providing crucial insurance.
Cleveland’s early offense didn’t stop with Martinez. David Fry drove in another run with an infield groundout in the first, and rookie Chase DeLauter added a sacrifice fly in the third.
What’s Next?
The Guardians (30-4 vs. LAA at home since 2015) continue their homestand with momentum, while the Angels search for answers amid their road woes. Neto’s homer offered a glimmer of hope, but Los Angeles’ pitching staff couldn’t contain Cleveland’s balanced attack.
With Steven Kwan resting, Martinez’s breakout performance at the top of the lineup gives manager Stephen Vogt a promising alternative as the Guardians push deeper into the season.
— Reported by Nexio News
