Ramírez leads late scoring barrage, Guardians deal Rangers their season-worst 4th straight loss

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — José Ramírez had a pair of two-run singles and reached base five times as the Cleveland Guardians beat Texas 7-0 on Monday night and sent the Rangers to their first four-game losing streak of the season.

“He’s pretty fun to watch,” first-year Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said of Ramírez. “José is just remarkable, he really is. Nothing that he does surprises me. He’s always looking to win.”

Five Cleveland pitchers combined for the four-hit shutout of the defending World Series champions. The AL Central-leading Guardians followed Sunday’s 7-0 win over the Chicago White Sox for their first consecutive shutouts since August 5-6, 2020.

Nick Sandin followed Cleveland starter Tanner Bibee, coming into a scoreless game in the sixth inning with the bases loaded and one out. He struck out Adolis García, Texas’ leader in home runs and RBI, and retired Josh Smith on a broken-bat ground out to second base.

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Sandin said of facing García: “Just knowing who’s coming to the plate and having a good plan of attack, kind of getting ahead and then expand it (the strike zone) from there.”

Ramírez drove in two runs with singles in the eighth and ninth innings. He walked twice and also reached on a fielding error by Corey Seager in the first inning.

Brayan Rocchio, Cleveland’s No. 9 batter, ended a scoreless struggle in the eighth inning when he hit a 90-mph cut fastball into shallow center field. Estevan Florial, who led off the inning with a double to right field over García, scored when Leody Taveras’ throw to the plate bounced off the third-base side of the mound and into foul territory between home and third.

Andrés Giménez also had an RBI single in Cleveland’s three-run ninth.

Bibee allowed three hits over 5 1/3 innings, retiring Texas’ first 11 batters before Nathaniel Lowe’s two-out infield single in the fourth inning. Sandin, Hunter Gaddis (2-1), Tim Herrin and Emmanuel Clase pitched the final 3 2/3 innings for Cleveland.

Texas’ Michael Lorenzen allowed one hit over seven innings, pitching no-hit ball for 5 1/3 innings, while striking out four and walking four. José Leclerc (3-2) followed Lorenzen and allowed three runs on two hits and one walk.

It was the first loss in the 64-year history of the Washington-Texas franchise when its starter allowed no runs and no more than one hit through seven innings.

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The Rangers, leading the American League with 205 runs entering Monday’s games, have scored six total runs in their four losses.

“We need somebody to come through here,” Texas manager Bruce Bochy said. “We’re too good not to come out of it.”

García is 1 for his last 17 with nine strikeouts.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Guardians: RHP Gavin Williams (elbow) is scheduled to throw a bullpen on Tuesday.

Rangers: OF Evan Carter (lower back stiffness) had an MRI on Monday and sat out a third consecutive game. … RHP Nathan Eovaldi (right groin strain) is throwing off flat ground and could be throwing off a mound this weekend.

UP NEXT

Guardians RHP Ben Lively (1-2, 2.63 ERA) comes off his poorest start of the season, allowing three runs in 5 2/3 innings on eight hits and three walks in a loss to the Chicago White Sox. Rangers RHP Jack Leiter (0-0, 12.91) will make his third spot start up from Triple-A Round Rock, his first at home, with Texas’ starting rotation depleted by injuries.

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