Cleveland needed every run it scored early. The Guardians built a 4-0 cushion through five innings, then watched Seattle cut it to one on a three-run shot in the eighth before Cade Smith closed the door. Final: Cleveland 4, Seattle 3.
Slade Cecconi was the story on the mound. The right-hander worked 6.0 innings, allowing 3 hits and no runs while walking 2 and striking out 4 on 87 pitches. He earned his fourth win of the season against six losses, with a 4.18 ERA. Smith followed with a clean ninth — 1.0 inning, 1 hit, 0 runs, 1 strikeout — for his 25th save of the year.
The Guardians did their damage in the fourth. Kahlil Watson doubled to right, scoring Travis Bazzana and sending Kyle Manzardo to third. Two batters later, Ingle singled to right, and both Manzardo and Watson came around to score, pushing the lead to 3-0. Brayan Rocchio extended it to 4-0 in the fifth when he doubled to left, scoring Bazzana again. Bazzana scored twice on the night, going 2-for-4.
Logan Gilbert pitched well enough to win most nights. The Seattle right-hander went 7.0 innings, allowing all 4 Cleveland runs on 7 hits with no walks and 7 strikeouts on 103 pitches. He fell to 6-5 with a 3.42 ERA. The Mariners made it interesting in the eighth when Randy Arozarena hit a three-run homer to center, a 427-foot drive that scored Rodríguez and Canzone and pulled Seattle within 4-3. It was not enough.
Arozarena, who went 2-for-4 with 3 RBI, reached 500 career runs scored in this game. He carries a .288 average with 8 home runs and 36 RBI on the season. Gilbert is 9 strikeouts away from 1,000 career strikeouts. Cleveland stands at 42-40, second in its division. Seattle moves to 42-41, first in its division.