DENVER (AP) — Patrick Bailey and Petey Halpin homered, rookie Travis Bazzana tied a career high with four hits, and the Cleveland Guardians used production from the bottom of their batting order to beat the Colorado Rockies 9-1 on Friday night.
Bazzana, Bailey and Halpin, batting in the seventh through ninth spots, combined to drive in seven of the nine runs to help Cleveland gain ground in the AL wild-card race. The Guardians moved past Toronto and remained a game behind Texas for the final playoff berth.
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Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Tanner Gordon throws in the first inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians, Friday, Aug. 21, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/Geneva Heffernan)
Colorado Rockies' Jake McCarthy runs to score on an RBI single hit by Willi Castro in the first inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians, Friday, Aug. 21, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/Geneva Heffernan)
Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Joey Cantillo throws in the first inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Friday, Aug. 21, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/Geneva Heffernan)
Cleveland Guardians third base coach Rouglas Odor, left, celebrates with Petey Halpin, right, as Halpin rounds the bases on a solo home run in the third inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Friday, Aug. 21, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/Geneva Heffernan)
Tim Herrin (2-4) tossed 1 1/3 innings of relief for Cleveland and Chase DeLauter returned to the lineup after missing three games with a hamstring injury.
Colorado third baseman Kyle Karros singled and walked in his return from the seven-day concussion injury list, but shortstop Ezequiel Tovar left the game in the fourth inning due to illness. Catcher Brett Sullivan got the final two outs in the ninth inning in his seventh relief appearance this season.
Cleveland built a 3-1 lead against Tanner Gordon (0-4) on Halpin’s solo home run in the third and Bazzana’s two-run single in the fourth. The Guardians took advantage in the fifth when Steven Kwan walked and Rockies center fielder Cole Carrigg lost DeLauter’s fly in the lights for a single.
Kwan scored on Jo Adell’s single to make it 4-1, and they added another run in the sixth on Kwan’s groundout.
Colorado loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth, chasing starter Joey Cantillo. But, Herrin came on to retire Willi Castro on a groundout to second to keep it a three-run game.
The Guardians put the game out of reach on Baily’s three-run homer in the seventh inning.
Guardians RHP Tanner Bibee (4-13, 4.01) makes his second career start against the Rockies and first since his major league debut on April 26, 2023. Colorado RHP rookie Gabriel Hughes (0-4, 6.69) seeks his first big-league victory.
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Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Tanner Gordon throws in the first inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians, Friday, Aug. 21, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/Geneva Heffernan)
Colorado Rockies' Jake McCarthy runs to score on an RBI single hit by Willi Castro in the first inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians, Friday, Aug. 21, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/Geneva Heffernan)
Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Joey Cantillo throws in the first inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Friday, Aug. 21, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/Geneva Heffernan)
Cleveland Guardians third base coach Rouglas Odor, left, celebrates with Petey Halpin, right, as Halpin rounds the bases on a solo home run in the third inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Friday, Aug. 21, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/Geneva Heffernan)
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Tommy Edman singled in the winning run with two strikes in the 10th inning, lifting the Los Angeles Dodgers over the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-4 on Friday night.
Edman hit a line drive to left field off Gregory Soto (5-4), scoring automatic runner Kiké Hernández from third, keeping the Dodgers as the only undefeated team in extra innings in the majors with a 5-0 record.
With Hernández starting at second, pinch-hitter Alex Call struck out and Mookie Betts was intentionally walked. Kyle Tucker grounded into a fielder's choice to second, where Betts was out.
Evan Phillips (1-2) got the win with one inning of relief.
The NL West-leading Dodgers have won eight of their last 11.
Pittsburgh's Oneil Cruz hit a two-run homer off reliever Kyle Hurt in the eighth to make it 4-4.
Betts hit a two-run single with two outs in the third to make it 4-2.
Dodgers starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto allowed two runs and five hits in 6 1/3 innings with nine strikeouts.
The Japanese right-hander was lifted after putting the tying runs aboard in the seventh. Jake Mangum had a leadoff double and Yamamoto hit Jared Triolo. Reliever Brock Stewart came on to retire the next two batters and end the inning.
Pirates reliever Luke Bachar set up the struggling Tucker for a potential Hollywood ending in the bottom of the seventh. Shohei Ohtani drew a leadoff walk and stole second. Two outs later, Bachar issued back-to-back walks to Max Muncy and Betts to load the bases and bring up Tucker. However, he flied out to center to end the threat.
Muncy's two-run, two-out homer in the first gave the Dodgers to a 2-1 lead.
The Pirates led 1-0 on Nick Gonzales' RBI single to center in the top of the inning. He tied the game 2-2 with an RBI single to center in the third.
Pirates RHP Jared Jones (2-5, 4.78 ERA) starts Saturday against Dodgers LHP Tarik Skubal (7-7, 2.85). Skubal is 0-2 with a 3.18 ERA since being traded to Los Angeles earlier this month.
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Pittsburgh Pirates' Brandon Lowe scores on a single by Nick Gonzales during the third inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Friday, Aug. 21, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Pittsburgh Pirates' Oneil Cruz tosses his bat after hitting a two-run home run during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Friday, Aug. 21, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto throws to the plate during the first inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Friday, Aug. 21, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Max Muncy, right, hits a two-run home run as Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Rafael Flores Jr. watches during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, Aug. 21, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)