Rookie Noel homers twice, Guardians outlast Cubs 9-8 in matchup evoking 2016 World Series memories

CLEVELAND (AP) — Josh Naylor drove in José Ramírez with the go-ahead run in the eighth inning and the Cleveland Guardians held on for a 9-8 win over the Chicago Cubs on Monday night in a back-and-forth matchup that evoked memories of their 2016 World Series.

Rookie Jhonkensy Noel hit a three-run homer and solo shot, and he made a diving catch in right field to save a couple runs for the AL Central-leading Guardians, who returned home after splitting a tense, four-game series at second-place Minnesota.

Steven Kwan added a two-run homer as the Guardians improved the league’s best home record to 36-20.

Ramírez opened the eighth with a double off Julian Merryweather (1-1) and pinch-hitter Will Brennan singled before Naylor bounced his base hit into left.

The Cubs led 3-0 and then fell behind 8-3 before tying it with four runs in the seventh and one in the eighth off Cleveland's vaunted bullpen.

While the game didn't have the same drama as the '16 Series, won by the Cubs in seven games, it had plenty of big moments.

Nick Sandlin (7-0) got the last two outs in the eighth before Guardians manager Stephen Vogt brought in closer Emmanuel Clase for the third straight game. Clase set down the Cubs in order for his league-leading 36th save.

Noel's three-run blast in the fourth off Shota Imanaga and onto the pedestrian plaza in Progressive Field came shortly after his sensational catch.

Ian Happ and Pete Crow-Armstrong homered for the Cubs, who are in a stretch of 14 straight games against AL teams.

The Cubs were already up three and threatening in the fourth when Noel came up with his defensive gem.

With two on and two outs, Chicago's Seiya Suzuki lifted a ball to right that was tailing toward the foul line. The 6-foot-3, 250-pound Noel got a decent jump and launched himself to make the catch before sliding face down in the grass.

Noel fell behind 1-2 in the count before he yanked a low splitter over the wall in left for his seventh homer to make it 4-3.

Kwan followed a one-out single by Austin Hedges in the fifth with his 13th homer, a towering shot to right.

Happ celebrated his 30th birthday by hitting a massive, 429-foot homer off Guardians starter Ben Lively.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Cubs: Rookie RHP Ben Brown (neck strain) has been shut down. Manager Craig Counsell said Brown wasn't making progress and the team felt the best next step was complete rest. Counsell said the team doesn't have a timetable on Brown's return, but he isn't ruling him out pitching again this season.

Guardians: LHP Sam Hentges (shoulder) is getting a second opinion on an injury that has limited him to just 25 games this season. Hentges had been on a minor league rehab assignment at Triple-A Columbus.

UP NEXT

Matthew Boyd makes his debut for the Guardians, who signed the left-hander as a free agent in June to give them starting depth. Boyd underwent Tommy John surgery last year. He'll face Cubs RHP Javier Assad (5-3, 3.24 ERA).

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

Chicago Cubs' Ian Happ celebrates with teammates in the dugout after hitting a home run in the third inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians, Monday, Aug. 12, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Chicago Cubs right fielder Seiya Suzuki collides with the outfield wall after catching a fly ball hit for an out against Cleveland Guardians' David Fry in the second inning of a baseball game Monday, Aug. 12, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Guardians' Jose Ramirez bats and makes it safely to first base on a fielding error by Chicago Cubs third baseman Isaac Paredes in the fourth inning of a baseball game Monday, Aug. 12, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Shota Imanaga rubs a baseball between batters in the third inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians, Monday, Aug. 12, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Guardians' Jose Ramirez scores on a single hit by Josh Naylor in the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Monday, Aug. 12, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Chicago Cubs' Seiya Suzuki reacts in the dugout after hitting a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians, Monday, Aug. 12, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Chicago Cubs' Nico Hoerner, left, shouts near of Cleveland Guardians relief pitcher Scott Barlow (58) after scoring in the seventh inning of a baseball game Monday, Aug. 12, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Chicago Cubs' Seiya Suzuki, right, is congratulated by first base coach Mike Napoli (55) in the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians, Monday, Aug. 12, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Guardians' Steven Kwan gestures as he runs the bases with a home run in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Monday, Aug. 12, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Guardians' Jhonkensy Noel, second from right, celebrates after his home run with teammates Jose Ramirez (11) and Josh Naylor (22) in near Chicago Cubs catcher Miguel Amaya, right, in the fourth inning of a baseball game Monday, Aug. 12, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Guardians' Jhonkensy Noel gestures as he runs the bases with a home run in the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs Monday, Aug. 12, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Guardians' Jhonkensy Noel celebrates as he crosses home plate with a home run in the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Monday, Aug. 12, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Jose Tena had two hits including a home run, Patrick Corbin pitched six innings and the Washington Nationals beat the Miami Marlins 4-1 on Saturday.

Joey Gallo and Juan Yepez also homered for Washington, which has won three of four, and Keibert Ruiz had two hits.

Corbin (6-13) allowed a run on three hits with a walk and six strikeouts. He didn't allow a hit after the second inning and retired 13 of his last 15 batters. Corbin has won four of his past five starts, two of them against the Marlins, and has lowered his ERA by nearly half a run to 5.45.

“I think I've just kind of located a lot better, have gotten some more strikeouts which helps, keeps the ball out of the infield or out of the outfield where they can get hits,” Corbin said. “Not walking as many guys. Just a combination of all that and locating fastball and not really getting beat on that pitch as much."

Kyle Finnegan pitched the ninth for his 38th save, third most in the majors.

Otto Lopez had two hits and the lone RBI for the Marlins, who have lost five of six.

Miami starter Valente Bellozo (2-4) gave up three runs on six hits — two of them homers — over 5 1/3 innings.

“I thought he was good,” Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said of Bellozo. “Lot of strikes. Kept us in the game. The solo home run we can always live with. It's the walks and that type of thing that gets us trouble but I thought he didn't do any of that. He did really well."

Gallo tied the score 1-1 in the bottom of the second when he sent a 2-0 Bellozo pitch into the second deck in right.

Washington took a 2-1 lead in the fourth. Tena singled, stole second and scored on Ruiz's single over the first-base bag.

Tena made it 3-1 with one-out home run in the sixth, ending Bellozo's day.

“He’s a very, very good player overall, but a very good hitter,” Gallo said of Tena. “To hit that ball out ... it was like a curveball down and away and he’s able to hit it out to right center.”

Tena, 23, is 13-for-36 (.361) in his past nine games, hitting safely in eight of them. Since joining the Nationals on Aug. 10 from Triple-A Rochester he leads the team with 12 multi-hit games.

Yepez homered in the eighth.

The youthful Nationals are last in the National League with 125 homers in 148 games.

“We're hoping that some of these guys as they get more mature will be able to drive the ball a little bit more consistently,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. “Right now it's just about working good at-bats, trying not to chase, teaching them how to get the ball in the zone more than anything.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Marlins: RHP Sandy Alcantara (Tommy John surgery) threw a bullpen session Saturday and is slated to throw live batting practice Tuesday in Miami.

Nationals: SS CJ Abrams missed his second straight game with a sore left shoulder.

UP NEXT

Miami RHP Adam Oller (1-3, 5.40 ERA) opposes Washington LHP MacKenzie Gore (8-12, 4.34), who allowed one run on one hit in six innings against the Marlins on Sept. 4, to close the series.

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

Miami Marlins starting pitcher Valente Bellozo throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Miami Marlins' Jonah Bride runs towards home to score a run on a single by Otto Lopez during the second inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Washington Nationals' Joey Gallo celebrates his home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Washington Nationals' Juan Yepez takes a lead from first base during the first inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Washington Nationals shortstop Nasim Nunez leaps for a ball that went for a single by Miami Marlins' Javier Sanoja during the second inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Washington Nationals shortstop Nasim Nunez blows a bubble as he stands on the field during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Washington Nationals starting pitcher Patrick Corbin throws during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Washington Nationals starting pitcher Patrick Corbin throws during the second inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)