Gavin Williams pitches 7 strong innings, Guardians edge Nationals 3-2 and avoid series sweep

CLEVELAND (AP) — Gavin Williams settled down after a choppy start and pitched seven solid innings as the Cleveland Guardians beat the Washington Nationals 3-2 on Wednesday to salvage the finale of a three-game series.

Williams (8-3) allowed one run and only three hits — all in the first three innings. The right-hander needed 24 pitches to get out of the first and then threw just 19 combined from the fourth through the sixth. He retired his final 13 batters.

Tim Herrin worked the eighth and Cade Smith gave up a run in the ninth before striking out two with the tying run at second for his MLB-leading 19th save.

Rookie Travis Bazzana had two doubles and José Ramírez drove in a run for Cleveland, which was outscored 16-5 in the first two games.

Washington’s James Wood went 8 for 12 in the series with two homers, three RBIs and five runs.

Unable to score more than three runs in any of their last seven games, the Guardians finally strung hits together in the fifth to take a 3-1 lead. They got some help as Nationals third baseman Curtis Mead couldn’t handle Austin Hedges’ hard-hit leadoff grounder for an error.

Ramírez hit a sacrifice fly off Miles Mikolas (1-4) and rookie Chase DeLauter and Angel Martinez delivered RBI singles off Richard Lovelady.

Wood came in on a two-day tear against the Guardians and opened the third with a double. He advanced on a groundout and scored when CJ Abrams ripped a double into the right-field corner.

Up next

Nationals: Finally getting an off day after 16 games in 16 days, Washington opens a three-game series at home Friday against San Diego. The pitching matchups are to be determined.

Guardians: RHP Slade Cecconi (3-5, 5.18 ERA) starts the opener of a three-game series against Boston on Friday.

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