Cleveland Guardians’ David Fry (left) scores on a sacrifice bunt by Austin Hedges while Baltimore Orioles’ Adley Rutschman (right) tags in late in the third inning of a baseball game in Cleveland on Friday, Aug. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

CLEVELAND — Josh Naylor had three hits and two runs scored, Austin Hedges had two RBIs and the MLB-leading Cleveland Guardians won their fifth straight game by posting eight straight wins, beating the Baltimore Orioles 8-4 on Friday night.

The Guardians have the best record in baseball at 67-42 and hold a six-game lead over the Kansas City Royals in the American League Central. They have won the first two games of the series by an 18-7 margin over the Orioles, who are behind the Yankees in the AL East standings.

Hedges also scored on a sacrifice bunt from second base in the sixth inning by José Ramírez, with Steven Kwan caught with a run but was able to get back to first base. Brayan Rocchio came home on the play that initially put Cleveland ahead 8–1.

Cade Smith (6-1) retired all five batters he faced in relief for the win. The Guardians also have the best home record in the majors at 35-15.

Colton Cowser and Jackson Holliday had RBI singles in the three-run seventh inning for Baltimore. Cowser extended his hitting streak to 15 games and rookie Holliday had his first two-hit performance.

Orioles third baseman Coby Mayo, one of the best prospects in baseball, went 0 for 2 in his big league debut, with two walks and one run scored. The 22-year-old was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk early Friday to replace Jordan Westburg.

Dean Kremer (4-8) allowed four runs in five innings and lost his third straight game. Gregory Soto followed, recording one run and allowing four in his first game since being acquired from Philadelphia.

Rocchio got a bases-loaded walk off Kremer and Kwan did the same against Soto. Lane Thomas reached base for the 28th consecutive game with a walk in the eighth, the longest active streak in the majors.

Carlos Carrasco started for Cleveland, pitching 4 1/3 innings and allowing one run on one hit. He had five strikeouts and four walks, extending his winless streak to seven starts.

Mayo batted . 301 with 20 home runs and 61 RBIs in 77 games with the Tides and led the International League with a . 586 batting percentage. He was a fourth-round pick in the 2020 draft.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Orioles: 3B Jordan Westburg (right hand fracture) could miss the rest of the regular season after being hit by a pitch from Toronto’s Yerry Rodríguez in the fifth inning on Wednesday. Westburg was selected to his first All-Star Game last month.

Guardians: RHP Tanner Bibee (right shoulder impingement) will not make his scheduled start Saturday and his status will not be updated until the weekend. The senior ace remains on the active roster. He is 9-4 with a 3.48 ERA in 22 starts.

NEXT

Orioles RHP Zach Eflin (6-7, 4.11 ERA) faces Guardians LHP Joey Cantillo (0-0, 8.10 ERA) in the second game of the series. Eflin was acquired from Tampa Bay on July 26 and made his Baltimore debut three days later against the Blue Jays.