Rookie lefty Parker Messick pitches into 7th and José Ramírez homers as Guardians beat Braves 6-0

ATLANTA (AP) — Rookie left-hander Parker Messick pitched four-hit ball into the seventh inning and José Ramírez hit his second home run of the season as the Cleveland Guardians beat the Atlanta Braves 6-0 on Saturday night. Chase DeLauter had an RBI double and Daniel Schneemann added a two-run single off the bench. Messick (2-0) struck out five and walked two in 6 2/3 innings. He has an 0.51 ERA through three starts, allowing one run in 17 2/3 innings. Atlanta, which entered 5-0 against left-handed starters, was held scoreless for the first time this season. Erik Sabrowski struck out two in a perfect eighth and Shawn Armstrong worked the ninth to complete Cleveland's first shutout this year. Ramírez launched a solo homer to left field on an 0-2 pitch in the first inning. He finished 2 for 4 with two stolen bases and a walk. Rhys Hoskins had a run-scoring groundout in the sixth and DeLauter hit an RBI double over the head of right fielder Ronald Acuña Jr. in the eighth that scored Schneemann with a dive at home plate. The Guardians scored three times in the ninth on a throwing error by Braves catcher Jonah Heim and a two-run single by Schneemann. Martín Pérez (0-1) allowed one run and two hits over five innings in his second start for Atlanta. The Guardians got their second run in the sixth with a bases-loaded grounder from Hoskins with one out. Braves third baseman Austin Riley had a chance at a double play, but Ramírez just avoided the tag on his way to third before Riley threw out Hoskins at first as Angel Martínez scored from third. Martínez was 2 for 5 with two runs scored. The win snapped Cleveland's five-game losing streak to the Braves that dated to 2024.

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Braves LHP Chris Sale (2-1, 3.94 ERA) faces Guardians RHP Tanner Bibee (0-1, 3.29) in the finale of the three-game series Sunday. \\\_ AP MLB: