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Josh Bell hits first homer with Guardians in win over Nationals

patrick stevens
·2 min read
Cleveland Guardians' Josh Bell, rounds bases after hitting a home run during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals in Washington, Friday, April 14, 2023. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
Cleveland Guardians' Josh Bell, rounds bases after hitting a home run during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals in Washington, Friday, April 14, 2023. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

WASHINGTON — Josh Bell hit his first home run since signing with Cleveland, and the Guardians rallied against the Washington Nationals bullpen for a 4-3 victory Friday night.

Will Brennan drove in the go-ahead run in the eighth on a light grounder for Cleveland, which earned its first victory in Washington since Aug. 9, 2016. The Nationals had won the teams’ last four meetings.

Luis García hit his first homer of the season for Washington, which fell to 1-6 at home.

Cleveland Guardians' Jose Ramirez (11) is tagged out at second base by Washington Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams, right, during the third inning of a baseball game in Washington, Friday, April 14, 2023. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
Cleveland Guardians' Jose Ramirez (11) is tagged out at second base by Washington Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams, right, during the third inning of a baseball game in Washington, Friday, April 14, 2023. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

Bell, a former National who was traded to San Diego at last year’s trade deadline, signed a two-year, $33 million deal with the Guardians in December. He was off to a 5-for-48 start before leading off the seventh with a blast to center against Hunter Harvey to pull Cleveland within 3-2. The Guardians tied it when Carl Edwards Jr. (0-1) issued a bases-loaded walk to Jose Ramírez after replacing Harvey later that inning.

Edwards fumbled Andres Giménez's leadoff grounder in the eighth and then yielded a Bell double. Brennan then dribbled a check-swing grounder to shortstop CJ Abrams, who had little choice but to take the out at first even though Washington had its infield in.

Trevor Stephan (1-0) pitched a scoreless seventh, James Karinchak worked around a hit batsman to get through the eighth and Emmanuel Clase worked the ninth for his fourth save.

Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Cal Quantrill throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals in Washington, Friday, April 14, 2023. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Cal Quantrill throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals in Washington, Friday, April 14, 2023. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

García delivered a one-out homer off Cal Quantrill in the fourth. Alex Call added a two-run single later in the inning to put the Nationals up 3-0.

Quantrill allowed three runs in six innings and struck out three.

The Guardians scored their first run on Josh Naylor's double-play grounder in the sixth. Washington starter Trevor Williams yielded four hits and a run in five-plus innings while striking out two.

Washington Nationals starting pitcher Trevor Williams throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians in Washington, Friday, April 14, 2023. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
Washington Nationals starting pitcher Trevor Williams throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians in Washington, Friday, April 14, 2023. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

Trainer's room

Nationals: Manager Dave Martinez said LHP Sean Doolittle (elbow) could throw live batting practice as early as next week. ... OF Corey Dickerson (left calf strain) is experiencing less soreness and has resumed hitting and throwing. Martinez said Dickerson's next step is agility work on the field.

Up next

Guardians: RHP Zach Plesac (0-0, 9.00 ERA), who is coming off allowing two runs in seven innings Sunday against Seattle, takes the ball as the three-game series continues.

Nationals: RHP Chad Kuhl (0-0, 8.10) is 1-1 with a 2.45 ERA in two career starts against Cleveland.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Guardians rally against Nationals bullpen, erase 3-0 deficit