CLEVELAND — The Guardians and Seattle Mariners meet in the rubber match Thursday afternoon at Progressive Field.
The Guardians fell in Tuesday's game but rebounded Wednesday with an 8-0 win, as Tanner Bibee set a career high with 12 strikeouts and Josh Naylor had his second multi-homer game.
The Guardians enter Thursday with a 5.5-game lead over the Minnesota Twins in the American League Central, who had their six-game win streak snapped Wednesday night.
Check back here for live score updates, highlights and analysis throughout the game.
Guardians beat the Mariners 6-3
The Guardians have taken yet another series with a 6-3 win over the Mariners Thursday afternoon. It's the kind of response they wanted after losing four of their previous five games entering this week.
Emmanuel Clase earned his league-leading 22nd save in the ninth.
Will Brennan multi-homer game extends Guardians lead
And that's the type of game the Guardians have been waiting for from Brennan, who now has a multi-homer game and three extra-base hits today.
Brennan's solo home run in the eighth gives the Guardians some extra breathing room, as they now lead 6-3. Brennan today has two home runs and a double.
Defensively, the Guardians have pulled off a few double plays in recent innings, an example of how Andres Gimenez's defensive value at second base almost cannot be understated.
Josh Naylor injury: RBI double ends with possible knee issue
Josh Naylor gave the Guardians a 5-3 lead with an RBI double to right field, but he might have paid for it.
As Naylor slid into second base, he grimaced in obvious pain while clutching his right knee. Guardians team trainers came out and appeared to be testing the knee.
Naylor was down for a few moments and in pain, but he's remaining in the game.
Andres Gimenez home run gives Guardians 4-3 lead over Mariners
After Wednesday night's win, Guardians manager Stephen Vogt remarked how they wouldn't often win games with three home runs, because it just wasn't really their style. They have two today, and the fifth inning hasn't concluded.
After the Mariners grabbed a 3-2 lead in the fourth, Andres Gimenez belted a two-run home run to right-center field that put the Guardians on top 4-3.
That was Gimenez's fifth home run of the season.
Will Brennan home run ties it 2-2
Will Brennan is an interesting case for the Guardians.
He's a younger outfielder who has a baseline of experience, but one who still might have plenty to prove at the major league level. He has role in the lineup, but it's not necessarily on stable ground with a few outfield prospects on the way.
Brennan drilled a solo home run to tie it 2-2. That brought his OPS to .700 this season. Again, he's done just enough to warrant an extended look, but he's still been searching for the kind of consistency to force the team's hand.
Steven Kwan double brings his average to .400
Steven Kwan is officially hitting .400.
Kwan led off the first inning with a double over the head of right fielder Mitch Haniger. That brought his average to an even .400.
And if he can continue to hover around that number this summer, it'll be one of the more exciting storylines to follow around the game of baseball.
Kwan later scored on a fielder's choice to make it 2-1.
Dylan Moore home run puts Mariners on top in first inning
I mean, if there's a part of the ballpark called the Home Run Porch, players are probably going to hit home runs there.
Dylan Moore belted a towering two-run shot off Logan Allen to give the Mariners a 2-0 lead in the first inning.
Allen's ERA now stands at 5.48.
Below is some pregame information.
Guardians manager Stephen Vogt discusses the passing of the late, great Willie Mays
The game of baseball lost a legend Tuesday, as the San Francisco Giants confirmed that Hall-of-Fame outfielder Willie Mays, one of the sport's icons, passed away at the age of 93.
Guardians manager Stephen Vogt's father idolized Mays. Vogt discussed Mays' meaning to their family and the impact he had on the sport.
Can Steven Kwan put together a .400 season in 2024?
Steven Kwan entered this series hitting .398. He's now chasing history as he tries to hit one of the game's biggest milestones.
Cleveland Guardians activate Jose Ramirez and option Kyle Manzardo to Triple-A Columbus
About four and a half hours before the series was scheduled to begin, the Guardians announced they activated five-time All-Star third baseman Jose Ramirez from the paternity list and optioned rookie designated hitter and first baseman Kyle Manzardo to Triple-A Columbus.
Ramirez spent three days on the paternity list.
Manzardo had been with the Guardians since being called up from Columbus and making his MLB debut on May 6. In 82 at-bats with the Guardians, Manzardo hit .207 with seven RBIs, 10 doubles, three walks, 23 strikeouts and a .571 OPS.
Mike Hargrove, wife share Cleveland baseball memories in Akron
Former Cleveland manager Mike Hargrove shared some baseball tales with the Akron Beacon Journal.
Does David Fry have a 2024 MLB All-Star Game case with the Guardians?
David Fry has been among the game's best hitters by some metrics, but does he have a case to be named to the 2024 AL All-Star team?
Daniel Schneemann debut is a baseball classic tale
Daniel Schneemann made his major league debut and jumped on the first pitch he saw in the major leagues for a two-run double. It completed a long, grinding road to the majors for a former 33rd-round draft pick.
Steven Kwan All-Star case continues despite absence due to injury
Steven Kwan recently returned from the injured list and played so well that his teammates began joking that he isn't even human.
Browns cornerback Denzel Ward throws a wild ceremonial first pitch at Guardians game
Browns cornerback Denzel Ward tossed the ceremonial first pitch at a recent game at Progressive Field and, well, it was eventful.
Guardians City Connect uniforms unveiled
The Guardians wore their new Nike City Connect uniforms for the first time against the Minnesota Twins.
Guardians schedule, next game
The Guardians begin a six-game homestand Tuesday night against the Seattle Mariners. After the three-game series against the Mariners, the Guardians welcome the Toronto Blue Jays to Progressive Field. Cleveland will then travel to Baltimore and Kansas City on an upcoming road trip.
How can I watch, listen or stream the Cleveland Guardians game tonight?
The game will be broadcast locally on Bally Sports. It'll be broadcast on the radio by WTAM (1100-AM) and WARF (1350-AM, Spanish broadcast).
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cleveland Guardians score today vs. Seattle Mariners highlights
