CLEVELAND (AP) — Joey Cantillo allowed four hits in a career-best eight-plus innings, José Ramírez homered, doubled and scored twice, and the Cleveland Guardians beat the Kansas City Royals 2-0 on Tuesday night for their fifth straight victory.
Cantillo (5-3) struck out five and didn’t issue a walk. Cade Smith pitched a scoreless ninth for his 12th save for the Guardians, who entered play 2 1/2 games behind Seattle for the final wild-card spot.
Ramírez, who had three hits, hit a solo homer off Royals starter Noah Cameron (7-6) with two outs in the first. David Fry hit the second of back-to-back to doubles to drive in Ramírez in the fourth.
Cameron, a 26-year-old rookie, gave up two runs on six hits with eight strikeouts in seven innings.
The Guardians, who has won six of seven, beat the Royals in the series opener Monday.
Bobby Witt Jr. from a three-game absence and Jonathan India was activated off the 10-day IL for Kansas City.
Key moment
Cantillo gave up a leadoff single to Kyle Isbel in the ninth and was replaced by Smith, who got Mikael Garcia to fly out. Isbel moved to second on a wild pitch and advanced to third when Witt singled before Smith struck out Vinnie Pasquantino and Salvador Perez to end the game.
Key stat
The Guardians clinched the season series — and the head-to-head tiebreaker for any postseason implications — over the Royals.
Up next
Kansas City has not announced its starter against Logan Allen (7-11, 4.46 ERA) on Wednesday in the third of a four-game series.
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