José Ramírez hits 2 homers, Brayan Rocchio drives in 3 as Guardians beat Orioles 8-4 to win series

CLEVELAND (AP) — José Ramírez homered twice, Brayan Rocchio had three hits and three RBIs, and the Cleveland Guardians beat the Orioles 8-4 on Sunday to take three of four from Baltimore.

Ramírez went deep in the fourth and fifth innings off Trevor Rogers (2-2), increasing his franchise record for multi-homer games to 28. He also moved past Earl Averill into second place in Cleveland history with 138 home runs at home.

Juan Brito hit a two-run double and Rocchio had an RBI single in the fourth as the Guardians scored four times to make it 5-0. Rocchio singled home Rhys Hoskins and David Fry in the eighth against Cameron Foster.

Taylor Ward hit his first homer as an Oriole, a three-run shot in the fifth, and Dylan Beavers drove in a run with a grounder for Baltimore, which has lost five of six. Ward, who hit 36 homers for the Los Angeles Angels last season, reached base for the 20th time in his last 21 games and has 11 RBIs during the span.

Matt Festa (1-0) retired the final batter in the fifth with the bases loaded. Rule 5 Draft selection Peyton Pallette followed with two perfect innings.

The Guardians are 38-21 against the Orioles since 2017. Baltimore has not won a season series against Cleveland since 2016.

Ramírez is batting .342 with five homers in his last 11 games.

Rogers allowed a season-high six runs, five earned, in five innings. Guardians starter Joey Cantillo worked 4 2/3 innings, giving up four runs, three earned.

Cleveland catcher Austin Hedges won both of his challenges in the first two innings.

Orioles: RHP Kyle Bradish (1-2, 5.49 ERA) pitches Monday at Kansas City.

Guardians: RHP Slade Cecconi (0-2, 5.03) starts Monday against Houston.

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

Baltimore Orioles' Taylor Ward is congratulated in the dugout after hitting a home run in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians in Cleveland, Sunday, April 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Baltimore Orioles' Taylor Ward (3) is congratulated at the plate by teammate Coby Mayo (16) in front of Cleveland Guardians catcher Austin Hedges, right, after hitting a three-run home run in the fiffth nning of a baseball game in Cleveland, Sunday, April 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Baltimore Orioles' Taylor Ward (8) gestures as he runs the bases with a home run in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians in Cleveland, Sunday, April 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Guardians' José Ramírez celebrates as he runs the bases with a solo home run in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles in Cleveland, Sunday, April 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

BOSTON (AP) — Jayson Tatum had 25 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists in his first playoff game since rupturing his right Achilles tendon last season, and the Boston Celtics rolled past the Philadelphia 76ers 123-91 in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference first-round series on Sunday.

Jaylen Brown scored 26 points and Neemias Queta added 13 for the second-seeded Celtics.

Tatum scored 21 points in the first half, playing in just his 17th game this season following surgery last May to repair his Achilles tendon.

“I’m still rehabbing,” Tatum said. “I still attack rehab every single day except for when we have off days. ... Still trying to ramp up.”

Boston never trailed, building a 35-point lead as coach Joe Mazzulla gave minutes to 12 players. The Celtics connected on 16 3-pointers.

“That was Celtics basketball,” Brown said. “We’ve been the harder-playing team all year. That can’t change now that the playoffs have started.”

Game 2 is Tuesday night in Boston.

Tyrese Maxey had 21 points and eight assists for the 76ers, who played without Joel Embiid. The 2023 MVP continues to recover following an appendectomy on April 9. It's unclear when he will be able to return.

Paul George scored 17 points and V.J. Edgecombe added 13. Philadelphia was 4 of 23 from 3-point range.

Maxey was hounded by a Celtics defense that contested 12 of his 14 shot attempts in the first half and held him to 8 of 20 from the field.

Philadelphia’s 64-46 halftime deficit was its largest in a playoff game against Boston since 1982. Coach Nick Nurse called the Sixers' effort “absolutely unacceptable.”

“We just didn't do enough at either end to settle into the game,” he said.

Tatum had 10 first-quarter points, punctuated with an emphatic two-handed dunk, to help the Celtics end the period with a 33-18 lead.

Philadelphia struggled at the outset to keep pace with Boston’s shooting, making one of its first nine attempts from 3. The Sixers also had issues keeping Boston out of the paint after Embiid's understudies, Adem Bona and Andre Drummond, each picked up two quick fouls.

That prompted Nurse to bring in Dominick Barlow, who played just 10 minutes in Philadelphia's play-in victory over Orlando.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) goes for a layup against the Boston Celtics during the first half in Game 1 of a first-round NBA playoffs basketball game, Sunday, April 19, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) drives against Philadelphia 76ers guard Kelly Oubre Jr. (9) during the first half in Game 1 of a first-round NBA playoffs basketball game, Sunday, April 19, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, right, goes for a layup against Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey, second from left, during the first half in Game 1 of a first-round NBA playoffs basketball game, Sunday, April 19, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) drives against Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George, right, during the first half in Game 1 of a first-round NBA playoffs basketball game, Sunday, April 19, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum goes in for a dunk against the Philadelphia 76ers during the first half in Game 1 of a first-round NBA playoffs basketball game, Sunday, April 19, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)