Bazzana hits 2-run homer in 9th to rally Guardians to 5-3 victory over Pirates

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CLEVELAND (AP) — Rookie All-Star Travis Bazzana hit a two-run homer to center field in the ninth inning for his first career walk-off hit and the Cleveland Guardians rallied for a 5-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates Saturday night to split in a doubleheader.

The Pirates won the first game 7-1.

Patrick Bailey led off the ninth with a single to right, Steven Kwan followed with a double down the left-field line. Bailey tried to score from first but was tagged out at home by Pittsburgh catcher Rafael Flores Jr. after the relay throw by third baseman Nick Gonzales.

Bazzana — the top overall pick in the 2024 amateur draft — then connected on a 1-0 changeup by Dennis Santana (2-5) and drove it 414 feet for his eighth homer of the season and give Cleveland its fourth walk-off win of the season.

Cade Smith (3-1), the Guardians' seventh pitcher of the night, got the win after retiring the Pirates in order in the ninth. Kwan had three hits.

Pittsburgh jumped out to a 3-0 lead after four innings, which included an improbable RBI double by Esmerlyn Valdez in the third. With one out and a runner on second, Valdez hit a towering fly ball to shallow center. Outfielder Petey Halpin lost the ball in the lights and hazy conditions as Cleveland was still dealing with smoke from wildfires in Canada.

The ball landed in right center and was picked up by right fielder David Fry. Gonzales beat the throw home to make it 2-0. According to Statcast, the ball reached an apex of 204 feet and had a hang time of 7.4 seconds.

Cleveland tied it in the eighth with three runs. Chase DeLauter's base hit to right drove in Kwan, Brayan Rocchio scored on a wild pitch and DeLauter scored on Kahlil Watson's single to right.

NL All-Star Paul Skenes (8-3, 3.57 ERA) goes for Pittsburgh. Cleveland will go with lefty Joey Cantillo (8-4, 3.56 ERA) in the series finale.

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