Guardians Erase Three-Run Hole, Steal Win in Anaheim

Cleveland trailed 3-0 before the Guardians had recorded a single run, the Angels staking themselves to that lead through the first two innings at home.

Los Angeles opened the scoring in the bottom of the first when Zach Neto scored on a Vaughn Grissom single, and the Angels extended it in the bottom of the second — a hit-by-pitch to Neto plated Josh Lowe, and a Mike Trout sacrifice fly brought home Denzer Guzman. Just like that, Cleveland was in a three-run hole with its win probability sitting in the basement.

The Guardians began their climb in the top of the fifth. Cleveland second baseman Travis Bazzana lifted a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Brayan Rocchio and cutting the deficit to 3-1.

That score held through the seventh, and Cleveland's window was narrowing. In the top of the eighth, Guardians first baseman Nathaniel Lowe singled to left on a fly ball, scoring Travis Bazzana and pulling Cleveland to 3-2. The game was alive.

Then came the ninth, with Cleveland's win probability down to 9.2%. Guardians left fielder Steven Kwan hit a ground-rule double to right, scoring Petey Halpin and sending Brayan Rocchio to third — the game tied at three.

Rocchio stood ninety feet away. Bazzana stepped in and drove a sacrifice fly to right, deep enough to score Rocchio and give Cleveland a 4-3 lead.

That was the margin. The Guardians held it, and Cleveland walked out of Anaheim with a 4-3 victory — a three-run comeback completed in the final inning.