CLEVELAND (AP) — Nick Martinez pitched three-hit ball into the eighth inning, Jonathan Aranda drove in a run for the third straight game and the Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Cleveland Guardians 1-0 on Tuesday night to extend their winning streak to six games.
The Rays are 13-1 against American League opponents this season, matching the 1987 Milwaukee Brewers, 1984 Detroit Tigers, 1981 Oakland Athletics and 1966 Cleveland Indians for the best start versus AL competition.
Cleveland second baseman Travis Bazzana, the top pick in the 2024 amateur draft, went 0 for 2 with two walks in his major league debut.
The Guardians have dropped four straight and five of six.
Martinez (2-1) threw only 78 pitches, 54 for strikes, and retired nine Cleveland hitters on two pitches or fewer. The right-hander struck out four and walked one. He was lifted after walking Bazzana to start the eighth.
Cleveland loaded the bases with one out on three walks — one intentional — but couldn’t score. Ian Seymour struck out Chase DeLauter, and Kevin Kelly retired José Ramírez on a flyball to deep center field.
Cole Sulser fanned two in a one-hit ninth for his 16th career save and first since 2022 with Miami. The Guardians put two runners on with two outs before Sulser struck out pinch-hitter George Valera to end it.
Taylor Walls drew a walk from Cleveland starter Tanner Bibee (0-4) in the fifth. With two outs, Walls advanced to third on Ben Williamson's base hit to right field and scored when Aranda lined a single just past Bazzana's outstretched glove for his 25th RBI this season, which is second in the AL.
Bibee allowed four hits in five innings. He struck out six and walked three.
Rays RHP Drew Rasmussen (2-0, 2.45 ERA) faces RHP Gavin Williams (4-1, 3.28) in the series finale Wednesday afternoon.
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