José Ramírez homers for 2nd straight game, Guardians beat Angels 4-3 to extend winning streak to 8

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — José Ramírez homered for the second straight game and the Cleveland Guardians extended their winning streak to eight, beating the Los Angeles Angels 4-3 Saturday night.

It is Cleveland's longest winning run since its AL-record, 22-game run in 2017. It is also the first time since 2001 it has won eight straight in May.

Unfortunately, it hasn't translated into establishing a large lead in the AL Central. The Guardians remain 1 1/2 games ahead of Kansas City, which has also run off eight straight.

Ramírez's two-run drive in the fourth inning off José Soriano (2-5) extended the Guardians' lead to 4-0. It was his third of the weekend series and sixth in eight games. He's tied for fourth in the majors with 15 home runs and has an MLB-leading 51 RBIs.

“José, I mean, he just does what he does,” Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt said. “That's a pitcher that's tough to get to, and for us to put up four right there that was the game.”

Bibee (3-1), who grew up 20 miles from Angel Stadium in Mission Viejo, picked up his first win since April 21 after going 0-1 in his previous five starts. The right-hander allowed three runs on six hits and struck out six in six innings.

Emmanuel Clase allowed a leadoff base hit but retired the remaining three hitters in the ninth for his 16th save.

The Angels fell to 6-18 at home despite Taylor Ward's three-run homer in the fourth inning. Soriano, who threw six shutout innings in a 6-0 victory at Cleveland on May 3, struck out eight in six innings, but gave up four runs on four hits.

“We had all kinds of opportunities to cash in, we just didn't get the hit,” manager Ron Washington said.

The Halos had their opportunities to tie, but had critical mistakes on the basepaths. They were caught stealing twice by Cleveland catcher Bo Naylor, and Luis Rengifo was thrown out by Guardians' left fielder Estevan Florial when he tried to extend a base hit into a double.

“Those plays were huge. Whenever the defense kind of picks me up like that it fires you up,” said Bibee, who had 50 friends and family at The Big A.

Cleveland was up 2-0 on Tyler Freeman's RBI base hit and Brayan Rocchio scoring on a wild pitch when Ramírez drove a full-count knuckle curve just over the short fence in the right-field corner for a two-run shot.

It was Ramírez’s 10th homer in May, tied for second in the majors.

“I'm going to have to stop that guy from swinging the bat when there's runners in scoring position because he's an RBI machine. Tomorrow I'm not going to let him swing it with runners in scoring position,” Washington said.

The Angels responded with three in the third. Kyren Paris drew a walk and Rengifo doubled to left when Ward connected on Bibee's fastball for his team-leading 13th home run of the season.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Guardians: OF Steven Kwan (acute left hamstring strain) hit a three-run home run in the fifth inning for Single-A Lake County during its game against West Michigan on Saturday. Kwan played six innings in right field and was 1-for-3 with three RBIs. He is expected to be the designated hitter for Lake County on Sunday.

Angels: OF Mike Trout (left knee) is riding on a stationary bike and elliptical, but there isn't a timetable on when he will be able to resume baseball activities.

UP NEXT

Cleveland RHP Ben Lively (3-2, 2.84 ERA), mistakenly called Blake Lively by Mets' broadcaster Gary Cohen last week and had the moment go viral, will take the mound for the series finale. LHP Reid Detmers (3-4, 5.80) goes for Los Angeles.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Cleveland Guardians' José Ramírez, left, is caught stealing second by Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto (9) during the eighth inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, May 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Cleveland Guardians left fielder Estevan Florial, left, and right fielder Will Brennan celebrate after a 4-3 win over the Los Angeles Angels in a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, May 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Los Angeles Angels' Zach Neto (9) is caught stealing second by Cleveland Guardians shortstop Brayan Rocchio, left, during the seventh inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, May 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Cleveland Guardians Johnathan Rodriguez watches from the dugout during the third inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, May 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Cleveland Guardians' Shane Bieber stands in the dugout during the third inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, May 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Cleveland Guardians' Brayan Rocchio celebrates in the dugout after scoring off of a wild pitch from Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher José Soriano during the third inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, May 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Los Angeles Angels' Jo Adell (7) is caught stealing second by Cleveland Guardians shortstop Brayan Rocchio, left, during the fourth inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, May 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Los Angeles Angels' Zach Neto, right, is caught stealing second by Cleveland Guardians shortstop Brayan Rocchio, left, during the seventh inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, May 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Cleveland Guardians' José Ramírez hits a home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, May 25, 2024. Tyler Freeman also scored. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Cleveland Guardians' José Ramírez celebrates as he runs the bases after hitting a home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, May 25, 2024. Tyler Freeman also scored. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

MINA, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Muslim pilgrims used the early morning hours Monday to perform the second day of the symbolic stoning of the devil, as noontime summer heat caused heatstroke among thousands wrapping up the Hajj pilgrimage.

The final days of the Hajj coincide with Muslims around the world celebrating the Eid al-Adha holiday.

The stoning of the pillars representing the devil takes place in Mina, a desert plain just outside the city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. A third stoning is scheduled Tuesday, before the Farewell Tawaf, or circling the cube-shaped Kaaba in Mecca.

The Hajj pilgrimage is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. All Muslims are required to make the five-day Hajj at least once in their lives if they are physically and financially able to do so.

More than 1.83 million Muslims performed Hajj in 2024, slightly less than last year’s figure of 1.84 million, according to Saudi officials.

The Hajj rites largely commemorate the Quran’s accounts of Prophet Ibrahim, his son Prophet Ismail and Ismail’s mother Hajar — or Abraham and Ismael as they are named in the Bible.

The rites have taken place under the soaring summer heat, which is expected to reach 49 degrees Celsius (120 degrees Fahrenheit) in Mecca and the sacred sites in and around the city, according to the Saudi National Center for Metrology.

“Of course, it is something very hard and tiring. The temperature is abnormal compared to the past years and this affects us a lot,” said Ahmed Al-Baradie, an Egyptian pilgrim, after finishing his second symbolic stoning.

More than 2,760 pilgrims suffered from sunstroke and heat stress on Sunday alone at the start of the first round of stoning, according to the Health Ministry. Jordan announced Sunday that 14 Jordanian pilgrims had died from heatstroke.

The number of pilgrims on the roads leading to the pillars Monday morning decreased significantly compared to Sunday.

Carrying an umbrella against the burning sun, Pakistani pilgrim Khoda Bakhch visited the stoning site on Monday morning and planned to return at sunset. “After two or three hours, it (temperature) may be too much," he said.

Security forces, medics and first responders have been deployed in and around Mina, especially on roads and open areas to direct and help pilgrims.

“I am really impressed by the preparations,” Sani Abdullah, a Nigerian, told The Associated Press, adding that he was used to such burning heat in his country. “I have never encountered any problems. Everything is going smoothly.”

Mina is where Muslims believe Ibrahim’s faith was tested when God commanded him to sacrifice his only son Ismail. Ibrahim was prepared to submit to the command, but then God stayed his hand, sparing his son. In the Christian and Jewish versions of the story, Abraham is ordered to kill his other son, Isaac.

The stoning began Sunday, a day after the pilgrims visited the sacred Mount Arafat where they spent their day in worship and reflection. The ritual in Mount Arafat, known as the hill of mercy, is considered the peak of the Hajj pilgrimage.

The pilgrims collected the pebbles, which they have used in the symbolic stoning of pillars, from Muzdalifa, an area located a few kilometers (miles) away from Mount Arafat.

The Hajj is one of the largest religious gatherings on earth. The rituals officially started Friday when the pilgrims moved from Mecca’s Grand Mosque to Mina, then to Mount Arafat. They then return to Mina, where they spend up to three days, each casting seven pebbles at three pillars in a ritual to symbolize the casting away of evil and sin.

While in Mina, the pilgrims visit Mecca to perform a “tawaf,” or circumambulation, which is circling the Kaaba in the Grand Mosque counterclockwise seven times. Then another circumambulation, the Farewell Tawaf, will mark the end of the Hajj as pilgrims prepare to leave the holy city.

Once the Hajj is over, men are expected to shave their heads, and women to snip a lock of hair in a sign of renewal.

Most of the pilgrims then leave Mecca for the city of Medina, about 340 kilometers (210 miles) away, to pray in Prophet Muhammad’s tomb, the Sacred Chamber. The tomb is part of the prophet’s mosque, which is one of the three holiest sites in Islam, along with the Grand Mosque in Mecca and the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.

This year’s Hajj came against the backdrop of the devastating Israel-Hamas war, which pushed the Middle East to the brink of a regional conflict.

The war has killed more than 37,000 Palestinians in the besieged strip, according to Gaza health officials, while hundreds of others have been killed in Israeli operations in the West Bank. It began after Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing about 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostage.

Palestinians in the Gaza Strip weren’t able to travel to Mecca for the Hajj this year because of the closure of the Rafah crossing in May, when Israel extended its ground offensive to the city on the border with Egypt.

Muslim pilgrims cast stones at pillars in the symbolic stoning of the devil, the last rite of the annual hajj, in Mina, near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, June 16, 2024. Masses of pilgrims on Sunday embarked on a symbolic stoning of the devil in Saudi Arabia. The ritual marks the final days of the Hajj, or Islamic pilgrimage, and the start of the Eid al-Adha celebrations for Muslims around the world. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

Paramedics carry a muslim pilgrim for a medical check after he fell down due to a heat stroke at pillars, in Mina, near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, June 16, 2024. Masses of pilgrims on Sunday embarked on a symbolic stoning of the devil in Saudi Arabia. The ritual marks the final days of the Hajj, or Islamic pilgrimage, and the start of the Eid al-Adha celebrations for Muslims around the world. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

A pilgrim prepares to cast stones at a pillar in the symbolic stoning of the devil, the last rite of the annual Hajj pilgrimage, in Mina near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, June 16, 2024. Masses of pilgrims on Sunday embarked on a symbolic stoning of the devil in Saudi Arabia. The ritual marks the final days of the Hajj, or Islamic pilgrimage, and the start of the Eid al-Adha celebrations for Muslims around the world. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

Muslim pilgrims arrive to cast stones at pillars in the symbolic stoning of the devil, the last rite of the annual hajj, in Mina, near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, June 16, 2024. The ritual marks the final days of the Hajj, or Islamic pilgrimage, and the start of the Eid al-Adha celebrations for Muslims around the world. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

Muslim pilgrims arrive to cast stones at pillars in the symbolic stoning of the devil, the last rite of the annual hajj, in Mina, near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, June 16, 2024. The ritual marks the final days of the Hajj, or Islamic pilgrimage, and the start of the Eid al-Adha celebrations for Muslims around the world. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

Muslim pilgrims arrive to cast stones at pillars in the symbolic stoning of the devil, the last rite of the annual hajj, in Mina, near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, June 16, 2024. Masses of pilgrims on Sunday embarked on a symbolic stoning of the devil in Saudi Arabia. The ritual marks the final days of the Hajj, or Islamic pilgrimage, and the start of the Eid al-Adha celebrations for Muslims around the world. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

Muslim pilgrims cast stones at pillars in the symbolic stoning of the devil, the last rite of the annual hajj, in Mina, near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, June 16, 2024. Masses of pilgrims on Sunday embarked on a symbolic stoning of the devil in Saudi Arabia. The ritual marks the final days of the Hajj, or Islamic pilgrimage, and the start of the Eid al-Adha celebrations for Muslims around the world. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

Paramedics carry a muslim pilgrim for a medical check after he fell down due to a heat stroke at pillars, in Mina, near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, June 16, 2024. Masses of pilgrims on Sunday embarked on a symbolic stoning of the devil in Saudi Arabia. The ritual marks the final days of the Hajj, or Islamic pilgrimage, and the start of the Eid al-Adha celebrations for Muslims around the world. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

Muslim pilgrims cast stones at pillars in the symbolic stoning of the devil, the last rite of the annual hajj, in Mina, near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, June 16, 2024. Masses of pilgrims on Sunday embarked on a symbolic stoning of the devil in Saudi Arabia. The ritual marks the final days of the Hajj, or Islamic pilgrimage, and the start of the Eid al-Adha celebrations for Muslims around the world. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

Muslim pilgrims cast stones at pillars in the symbolic stoning of the devil, the last rite of the annual hajj, in Mina, near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, June 16, 2024. Masses of pilgrims on Sunday embarked on a symbolic stoning of the devil in Saudi Arabia. The ritual marks the final days of the Hajj, or Islamic pilgrimage, and the start of the Eid al-Adha celebrations for Muslims around the world. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)