The Cleveland Guardians are on fire, and Jose Ramirez is leading the charge with his impressive power surge. Ramirez hit his fourth home run in three games on Thursday, helping the Guardians secure a 10-3 victory over the Baltimore Orioles in the series opener.
Ramirez, a six-time All-Star, is no stranger to hitting home runs in bunches. He previously went deep in four consecutive games in July 2019 and seems to be on a similar hot streak now. Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt praised Ramirez, saying, “You have to watch every single at-bat that he’s up there. You better be watching, because he’s gonna do something special.”
But Ramirez isn’t the only one contributing to the Guardians’ recent success. Bo Naylor and David Fry also hit three-run homers in Thursday’s game, helping Cleveland extend their winning streak to four games and their home run streak to four consecutive games.
The Guardians currently boast the best overall record in the majors at 66-42 and the best home record at 34-15. Their strong performance has put them in a prime position to make a push for the postseason.
On the other side, the Baltimore Orioles are no pushovers either. Anthony Santander and Colton Cowser are both on impressive hitting streaks, while Gunnar Henderson has been a force against Cleveland in his career.
Friday’s matchup will feature Orioles right-hander Dean Kremer facing off against Guardians right-hander Carlos Carrasco. Kremer will look to snap a four-start winless streak, while Carrasco aims to bounce back from a rough stretch of outings.
Unfortunately, Cleveland will be without Tanner Bibee on Saturday, as he is dealing with tightness in his pitching shoulder. Rookie left-hander Joey Cantillo will take his place against Baltimore’s Zach Eflin.
With both teams vying for a win in this crucial series, Friday’s game is sure to be an exciting one. Stay tuned to see if the Guardians can continue their winning ways or if the Orioles will bounce back and reclaim the top spot in the American League East.
