Guardians rally to stun Mariners as DeLauter returns

 The Guardians welcomed back Chase DeLauter to the lineup and then used a five-run eighth inning rally as they posted a stunning 6-5 win over the Seattle Mariners on Sunday.

It was the Guardians’ second-straight win and, coupled with a Chicago loss, allowed Cleveland to move back into a tie for first place in the American League Central.
And it was unlikely a win as you’ll see.
Cleveland looked sloppy on offense and again sluggish offensively as they fell behind by scores of 3-0 and 4-1 before sending 10 men to the plate in the five-run eighth inning.
DeLauter’s two-run single in the rally tied the game at 4. He then came around to score what turned out to be the winning run on a two-run pinch-hit double off the bat of Rhys Hoskins.
Cleveland, which improved to 44-40 with the win, has not been a team prone to late-inning magic in 2026. Entering Sunday, the Guardians were just 2-33 in 2026 when trailing after seven innings.
That’s why the win felt so huge.
“I think today was as big a win as we’ve had all year,” Cleveland Manager Stephen Vogt told the media in the post-game press conference.
With the game tied at 4 and two outs, Vogt summoned the right-handed hitting Hoskins to pinch-hit for lefty Kyle Manzardo and face Seattle left-handed reliever Josh Simpson. It was the perfect button to push, lever to pull, whatever analogy you want to use. Hoskins turned on a 1-1 fastball and smashed a ball to high down the left field line that just fell fair and banged around in the corner. Steve Kwan scored easily, and DeLauter scored on a wild play at the plate after a leaping slide, and only after catcher Mitch Garver dropped the ball on the tag. Seattle challenged the ball being fair and the play at the plate, but the original umpire's calls were both upheld.
DeLauter was making his return to the lineup after being sidelined with a right rib cage fracture in a June 13 win over Detroit. In the same game, the Guardians lost Jose Ramirez and Angel Martinez to injury. That trio's absence is part of the reason Cleveland scored just 76 runs in June leading into Sunday, which ranked 29 out of 30 teams in MLB.
Cade Smith came on to pitch the ninth. It was another eventful frame. Smith allowed a pair of hits, and then Travis Bazzana made a throwing error on a ground ball off the bat of Victor Robles that allowed Cole Young to score to close the gap to 6-5.
Order was restored and the win secured when Bryan Rocchio was able to field a rocket off the bat of JP Crawford and fire to Hoskins for the game’s final out. It was Smith’s 26th save of the season and Cleveland’s most unlikely win of the year to this point.

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