Josh Naylor knocks in 4 but exits as Guardians top Pirates

Josh Naylor had three hits and four RBIs before leaving late with an injury, Jhonkensy Noel and Andres Gimenez hit back-to-back homers in the fifth inning and the Cleveland Guardians defeated the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates 10-8 on Friday.

Cleveland blew a 4-0 lead and trailed 6-4 in the fifth inning.

Facing Pittsburgh reliever Carmen Mlodzinski (2-5), Jose Ramirez singled, stole second and scored on Naylor’s one-out single.

Emmanuel Clase allowed a run in the ninth inning but still recorded his 40th save of the season, and record 150th for Cleveland. Cody Allen had 149 saves for the franchise from 2012-18.

Rowdy Tellez hit a two-run homer, Andrew McCutchen also went deep and Oneil Cruz and McCutchen each had three RBIs for the Pirates, who have allowed 51 runs during their four-game losing streak.

Cleveland wasted no time getting to Pittsburgh starter Bailey Falter, who yielded four runs and seven hits in four innings. Falter fanned two and walked one.

Naylor’s two-out, two-run double off that bounced off the left field wall opened the scoring in the first.

The Guardians added it two more in the fourth. Austin Hedges’ well-placed bunt toward first base scored a runner from third, and Steven Kwan followed with an RBI single to center.

Tellez then put Pittsburgh up 6-4 with his two-run shot to right-center. However, the Pirates’ advantage was short-lived after the Guardians pulled ahead for good in the bottom of the frame.

Cleveland’s Pedro Avila (5-1) got the last two outs in the top of the fifth and recorded the win.

Headlines