Alex Cobb gets first win in nearly a year and AL-leading Guardians beat Cubs 6-1
CLEVELAND (AP) — Alex Cobb earned his first win in nearly a year and Andrés Giménez drove in three runs, sending the American League-leading Cleveland Guardians to a 6-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday night.
José Ramírez, Josh Naylor and Will Brennan also had RBIs for Cleveland, which swept the three-game series and extended its winning streak to five. The Guardians are 72-49 and have the best home record in the majors at 38-20.
Cleveland’s current surge began after it lost a season-high seven straight from Aug. 3-9.
“That was a tough stretch, but it says a lot about the criteria of the team and the way we approach difficult situations,” Giménez said through an interpreter. “We kept doing the process and doing what we need to do. That tells you a lot about what baseball is.”
Cobb (1-1) allowed one run and three hits in 5 2/3 innings with three strikeouts and two walks, picking up his first win since a one-hitter for San Francisco against Cincinnati last Aug. 29.
The 36-year-old had left hip surgery last Oct. 31 and was traded to Cleveland on July 30. Right-hander Cobb and lefty Matthew Boyd -- another in-season acquisition coming back from a major injury -- combined to pitch 11 innings over two days.
“It’s been nice to have someone here who is going through the same thing and you can bounce stuff off of,” Cobb said. “At certain times, I feel great, and when you’re out there, you go into attack mode. But I’m definitely not in midseason form.”
Jameson Taillon (8-7) allowed four runs in six innings as the Cubs lost their third straight following a four-game win streak. Chicago is 5 1/2 games out of a National League wild-card spot.
Chicago had taken a 1-0 lead in the fourth when Seiya Suzuki tripled high off the center-field wall and scored on Cody Bellinger’s sacrifice fly. The Cubs managed just five hits against four Guardians pitchers.
“That is a good baseball team for sure, but getting swept is no good,” Chicago manager Craig Counsell said. “It’s disappointing because we played two pretty good games the last two days, but didn’t make much contact tonight, obviously.”
Naylor doubled in Ramírez, then scored on Giménez’s single in the fourth. In the eighth, Giménez doubled off Julian Merryweather to plate Ramírez and Lane Thomas.
“It’s almost like we get going after we get punched,” Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt said. “When the other team takes an early lead, we seem to go right back out and answer.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Cubs: Bellinger (left middle finger) has exclusively played DH in 13 games since returning from a broken finger on July 30, but Counsell said he is likely to return to center field this weekend against Toronto.
Guardians: LHP Sam Hentges (left shoulder soreness) traveled to the Dallas area for a second opinion on his shoulder. Hentges failed to record an out in his last rehab outing for Triple-A Columbus on Aug. 7.
UP NEXT
Cubs: RHP Kyle Hendricks (3-10, 6.60 ERA) faces Blue Jays RHP Yariel Rodríguez (1-5, 3.60 ERA) in the opener of a three-game home series Friday.
Guardians: RHP Gavin Williams (2-4, 4.38 ERA) takes on Brewers RHP Aaron Civale (3-8, 5.02 ERA) in the first game of a week-long trip Friday.
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