Andrés Giménez hits a 2-run HR and Will Brennan has two solo shots as Guardians beat Mariners 6-3

CLEVELAND -- — Andrés Giménez hit a two-run homer and Will Brennan had a pair of solo shots, lifting the American League Central-leading Cleveland Guardians to a 6-3 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Thursday.

Gimenez’s blast to right-center off Luis Castillo (6-8) provided the go-ahead run in the fifth inning, when Cleveland scored three times to take a 5-3 lead. Josh Naylor added an RBI double as the Guardians took two of three in the series.

“When they’re hitting like that — in their ballpark — it’s going to be tough to beat them,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said. “Every inning is a battle. They’re scrappy and they just keep coming.”

Brennan went deep against Castillo in the second and Trent Thornton in the eighth for his first multi-homer game. He also doubled in amassing a career-high 10 total bases.

Logan Allen (8-3) pitched six innings, giving up three runs, in winning his second straight start. Emmanuel Clase earned his 22nd save with a perfect ninth for Cleveland, which has the second-best home record in the majors at 23-9.

“That’s the resilience of this group, we just stay in it,” Allen said. “It’s kind of a cat-and-mouse game. Taking the series against a first-place team — a team you hope to see down the road in the playoffs — is big.”

Dylan Moore hit a two-run homer in the first and Ryan Bliss had an RBI double in the fourth for AL West leader Seattle. The Mariners lost for just the sixth time in 19 games since May 31.

Castillo allowed a season-high tying five runs in five innings, falling to 1-5 in his career against Cleveland.

“Good things happen when you swing at strikes,” Brennan said. “We do really well at home and I can’t wait for the Cleveland fans to keep showing out.”

Guardians left fielder Steven Kwan went 1 for 3, dropping his batting average to .396 and he extended his hitting streak to 14 games. He is batting an MLB-high .500 since May 31, but is 14 plate appearances shy of qualifying for the league leaders.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mariners: Right-hander Bryan Woo (right elbow soreness) reported no issues after pitching four innings and allowing three runs Wednesday against Cleveland. Woo had his previous start skipped because of discomfort in his surgically repaired elbow.

Guardians: Right-hander Gavin Williams (right elbow inflammation) will make his next rehab start Friday for Double-A Akron. Williams, who has been on the injured list all season, had a 7.88 ERA in his first four rehab outings for Triple-A Columbus.

UP NEXT

Mariners: Right-hander George Kirby (6-5, 3.54 ERA) takes the hill Friday as Seattle continues its nine-game trip in Miami. Kirby tossed six scoreless innings and gained the win in his lone career appearance against the Marlins on June 13, 2023.

Guardians: Right-hander Carlos Carrasco (2-6, 5.80 ERA) works the opener of a three-game home series Friday against Toronto. The 14-year veteran is 0-5 with a 5.96 ERA in six starts since his most recent victory on May 5 against the Los Angeles Angels.

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