Noel hits 2-run pinch-hit homer in the 8th as Guardians beat Rays 4-2

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Jhonkensy Noel hit a two-run pinch-hit homer in the eighth inning, and the AL Central-leading Cleveland Guardians beat the Tampa Bay Rays 4-2 to stop a three-game skid on Saturday.

Noel connected on his fourth homer in 35 at-bats since being called up from Triple-A Columbus last month off Garrett Cleavinger (5-2) to put the Guardians ahead 4-2.

"I know I have the talent," Noel said through a translator. "I just have to get myself ready all the time to be able to help the team. I’m not playing a lot, but whenever I do have the tools to help the team win."

Noel’s 110.8 mph homer traveled 424 feet. According to STATS, it was the first go-ahead, pinch-hit homer by a Cleveland rookie in the eighth inning or later since Bill Davis on Sept. 9, 1966, against California,

"He’s strong," Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt said. "He’s a good athlete. When he hits it, it goes a long way."

After Nick Sandlin (6-0) had a scoreless seventh, Emmauel Clase worked the ninth to get his 29th save in 32 chances.

Cleveland’s Steven Kwan went 0 for 4, and had his major league batting average fall to .354 from .359.

Yandy Díaz drove in a run for the Rays, who fell under .500 at 47-48.

Tampa Bay was hitless in 11 at-bats with runners in scoring position. The Rays were 1 for 16 in Friday’s 2-0 win over Cleveland.

ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - JULY 13: Zack Littell #52 of the Tampa Bay Rays delivers a pitch to the Cleveland Guardians in the first inning at Tropicana Field on July 13, 2024 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)

"We got to kick that trend." Rays manager Kevin Cash said. "You feel it in the dugout. You feel it throughout the game."

The Guardians took a 2-1 lead in the fifth when Angel Martinez hit a solo home run and Andrés Giménez had an RBI single off Zack Littell.

Díaz had a third-inning run-scoring double against Gavin Williams. But the Rays tied it at 2 when Richie Palacios tripled and scored on a throwing error by shortstop Daniel Schneemann on Jonny DeLuca’s grounder in the fifth.

Williams allowed two runs, one earned, and three hits over five innings in his third start of the season. He began the season on the injured list after hurting his right elbow throwing a weighted ball on March 7 during spring training.

Cleveland pitcher Carlos Carrasco, who has a locker next to Williams, joined the media scrum and asked his teammate what was working,

"Being in the zone a little bit," Williams replied. "Every once in a while a double play."

Littell went six innings, giving up two runs (one earned), and six hits.

Giménez was also involved in a rare 4-9 putout on DeLuca’s fly ball in the third. The second baseman sprinted into right field, tipped the ball while lunging for it and then saw sliding right fielder Will Brennan making a backhand sliding catch.

"I’m going remember this one for a while because it was two persons, two diving persons," Giménez said.

According to Elias, it was just the fourth 4-9 play over the last 20 seasons.