Josh Naylor and Austin Hedges lead MLB-leading Guardians past Orioles 8-4 for 5th straight win

CLEVELAND (AP) — Josh Naylor had three hits and drove in two runs, Austin Hedges had two RBIs and the MLB-leading Cleveland Guardians scored eight consecutive runs in beating the Baltimore Orioles 8-4 for their fifth straight win on Friday night.

The Guardians own the best record in baseball at 67-42 and lead the American League Central by six games over the Kansas City Royals. They have won the first two games of the series by an 18-7 margin over the Orioles, who fell behind the Yankees in the AL East standings.

Hedges also scored from second base on José Ramírez's sacrifice fly in the sixth inning when Steven Kwan was caught in a rundown, but successfully made his way back to first. Brayan Rocchio initially came home on the play that put Cleveland up 8-1.

Cade Smith (6-1) retired all five batters he faced in relief for the victory. The Guardians also have the best home record in the majors at 35-15.

Colton Cowser and Jackson Holliday each had RBI singles in a three-run seventh for Baltimore. Cowser extended his hitting streak to 15 games and fellow rookie Holliday had his first two-hit performance.

Orioles third baseman Coby Mayo, one of the top prospects in baseball, went 0 for 2 with two walks and a run in his major-league debut. The 22-year-old was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk earlier Friday to fill in for Jordan Westburg.

Dean Kremer (4-8) gave up four runs in five innings, losing his third straight start. Gregory Soto followed and allowed four runs while recording one out in his first appearance since being acquired from Philadelphia.

Rocchio drew a bases-loaded walk off Kremer and Kwan did the same against Soto. Lane Thomas walked in the eighth to reach base for the 28th consecutive game, the longest active streak in the majors.

Carlos Carrasco started for Cleveland, going 4 1/3 innings and allowing one run on one hit. He struck out five and walked four in extending his winless streak to seven starts.

Mayo batted .301 with 20 homers and 61 RBIs in 77 games with the Tides, leading the International League with a .586 slugging percentage. He was a fourth-round selection in the 2020 draft.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Orioles: 3B Jordan Westburg (right hand fracture) could miss the remainder of the regular season after being hit by a pitch from Toronto’s Yerry Rodríguez in the fifth inning Wednesday. Westburg was chosen for his first All-Star Game last month.

Guardians: RHP Tanner Bibee (right shoulder tightness) will not make his scheduled start Saturday and won’t have his status updated until later in the weekend. The staff ace remains on the active roster. He is 9-4 with a 3.48 ERA in 22 starts.

UP NEXT

Orioles RHP Zach Eflin (6-7, 4.11 ERA) takes on Guardians LHP Joey Cantillo (0-0, 8.10 ERA) in the second game of the series. Eflin was acquired from Tampa Bay on July 26 and won his initial start with Baltimore three days later over the Blue Jays.

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Baltimore Orioles' Adley Rutschman, left, has a mound meeting with starting pitcher Dean Kremer during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Cleveland, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco delivers against the Baltimore Orioles during the first inning of a baseball game in Cleveland, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

Baltimore Orioles' Jackson Holliday tosses his bat after getting a walk off Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco as catcher Austin Hedges looks ahead during the second inning of a baseball game in Cleveland, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Dean Kremer delivers against the Cleveland Guardians during the first inning of a baseball game in Cleveland, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

Baltimore Orioles' Ryan Montcastle heads to first base with an RBI fielders choice during the second inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians in Cleveland, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

Baltimore Orioles' Coby Mayo heads to first base with a walk by Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco during the second inning of a baseball game in Cleveland, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024. It was Mayo's first major league at-bat. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

Baltimore Orioles' Ryan O'Hearn (32) scores on a fielder's choice hit into by Ryan Mountcastle as Cleveland Guardians' Austin Hedges, left, looks on during the second inning of a baseball game in Cleveland, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

Umpire John Bacon, left, signals Cleveland Guardians' Andres Gimenez, right, safe at third base as Baltimore Orioles' Coby Mayo, center, watches Bacon during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Cleveland, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

Cleveland Guardians' David Fry, left, scores on a sacrifice fly by Austin Hedges as Baltimore Orioles' Adley Rutschman, right, is late with the tag during the third inning of a baseball game in Cleveland, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

Cleveland Guardians' Josh Naylor heads to first base after hitting a single off Baltimore Orioles relief pitcher Albert Suarez during the seventh inning of a baseball game in Cleveland, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Jackson Arnold ran for two touchdowns and threw for another as No. 15 Oklahoma beat Tulane 34-19 on Saturday.

Arnold passed for 169 yards and ran for 97. Taylor Tatum caught a touchdown pass and ran for a score, and Deion Burks caught seven passes for 80 yards to help lead the Sooners.

Oklahoma (3-0) won its final tune-up before it plays its first Southeastern Conference game next Saturday at home against Tennessee.

Oklahoma expected a battle. Tulane was coming off a 34-27 loss to then-No. 17 Kansas State last week. And the Sooners remembered the close call in 2021, when No. 2 Oklahoma held on to beat the Green Wave 40-35.

Darian Mensah completed just 14 of 32 passes for 166 yards for Tulane. Makhi Hughes ran for 71 yards and caught a touchdown pass for the Green Wave (1-2).

The Sooners held Tulane to 279 yards and ended the Green Wave’s 10-game road win streak.

Oklahoma took a 21-0 lead in the second quarter, but Tulane stayed in it when backup quarterback Ty Thompson connected with Reggie Brown for a 7-yard touchdown pass with 19 seconds left in the second quarter. The extra point failed, and the Sooners led 21-6 at halftime.

The Green Wave hung tough. Hughes' 8-yard touchdown catch on fourth down was upheld upon review, and Tulane cut Oklahoma's lead to 24-13 in the third.

Tyler Grubbs' 22-yard interception return for a touchdown to start the fourth quarter threw a scare into the Sooners. The Green Wave missed the 2-point conversion, and Oklahoma's lead was cut to 24-19.

Arnold's second TD run, a 24-yarder, put the Sooners up 31-19 with 6:05 to go.

Tulane: For the second straight week, the Green Wave found themselves in the game in the fourth quarter against a high-level Power Four opponent and couldn't finish the deal. Tulane had no turnovers through three quarters, but two in the fourth.

Oklahoma: The defense was good again, but the passing game has yet to produce 200 yards in a game. The Sooners have made up for their aerial struggles with timely plays on offense and an opportunistic defense.

Tulane: Visits Louisiana on Saturday.

Oklahoma: Hosts No. 7 Tennessee in its Southeastern Conference opener next Saturday.

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Tulane quarterback Darian Mensah (10) passes against Oklahoma during the first quarter of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Norman, Okla. (AP Photo/Alonzo Adams)

Oklahoma running back Taylor Tatum (8) dives in for a touchdown against Tulane during the second quarter of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Norman, Okla. (AP Photo/Alonzo Adams)

Oklahoma running back Jovantae Barnes (2) runs for a first down against Tulane during the first quarter of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Norman, Okla. (AP Photo/Alonzo Adams)

Tulane safety Bailey Despanie (32) hits Oklahoma quarterback Jackson Arnold late and gets called for unnecessary roughness during the second quarter of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Norman, Okla. (AP Photo/Alonzo Adams)

Oklahoma quarterback Jackson Arnold (11) passes against Tulane during the first quarter of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Norman, Okla. (AP Photo/Alonzo Adams)