CLEVELAND — José Ramírez hit a three-run homer in the eighth inning after Cleveland pitchers retired the first 18 batters, lifting the AL Central champion Guardians to a 5-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday night.
Ramírez hit his 38th homer of the season, connecting against Emilio Pagán (4-5) with two outs to score Steven Kwan and Angel Martínez. The All-Star third baseman also doubled, tripled and scored twice. He has 115 RBIs and 40 stolen bases.
"One of my favorite things about getting this job is getting to watch José every night," Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. "There is really no way to pitch him."
Cleveland has wrapped up a first-round bye in the playoffs and remains in the hunt for the top seed in the AL, trailing the New York Yankees by a game with three remaining.
The Guardians used seven pitchers, with Hunter Gaddis (6-3) picking up the win and Emmanuel Clase loading the bases before getting his franchise-record 47th save. Clase tied St. Louis' Ryan Helsley for the major league lead.
"Clase is everything to us," Ramírez said through an interpreter. "Him and all the bullpen guys, we're where we are because of them."
Cincinnati did not have a baserunner until TJ Friedl reached on a bunt single in the seventh that Tim Herrin could not field in time. Friedl would come home on a throwing error by Andrés Giménez, pulling the Reds within 2-1.
Vogt said Friedl made "a good baseball play" by laying down the bunt toward first, even with history at stake.
"If it was a starter in the game in the seventh inning, that's different, but not in a bullpen game," Friedl said. "(Bunting) is what I do, it's no surprise. I'm playing the ballgame. We were down two runs."
Jake Fraley then scored on a mishandled single by center fielder Lane Thomas in the eighth — Cleveland's third error in two innings — to even the score against Gaddis.
Andrew Walters pitched the first 1 2/3 innings for the Guardians, tying the MLB record with an eighth straight hitless appearance to begin his career. Erik Sabrowski, Cade Smith and Eli Morgan maintained the perfect game through the sixth.
Kwan led off the game with a home run after spending 11 days on the injured list because of mid-back inflammation. Josh Naylor added an RBI single in the fourth, also off Reds starter Jakob Junis, who went five innings.
"I feel like the story was going to write itself after the sixth inning with our bullpen," Kwan said. "They've been so good for us all year."
Before the game, Vogt announced that right-hander Tanner Bibee and left-hander Matthew Boyd would make their next starts in the ALDS, bypassing their final regular-season outings.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Reds: 2B Jonathan India (head) was not in the lineup, one day after being struck on the helmet by Bibee's pitch. India pinch hit in the eighth and grounded into a double play.
Guardians: RHP Alex Cobb (right third finger blister) will throw several simulated games before the postseason, but remain on the IL until being moved onto the playoff roster.
UP NEXT
Reds: Cincinnati has not announced its starters for a three-game road series against the Cubs. Chicago RHP Jameson Taillon (11-8, 3.41 ERA) works the first game Friday.
Guardians: LHP Joey Cantillo (2-3, 4.63 ERA) will pitch Friday against Astros RHP Ronel Blanco (12-6, 2.88 ERA) in the opener of a three-game set at Progressive Field.