CLEVELAND (AP) — Rookie Chase DeLauter had three hits, including a two-run homer in the seventh inning, and drove in three runs as the Cleveland Guardians won their home opener 4-1 against the Chicago Cubs on Friday.
Gabriel Arias also went deep in the seventh inning as the Guardians won their home opener for the third straight season.
Connor Brogdon (2-0) got the win and Cade Smith picked up his second save. It was 70 degrees at first pitch, which was Cleveland’s warmest March or April opener since 1992.
Miguel Amaya had an RBI hit in the third inning for the Cubs. Starting pitcher Cade Horton exited early in the second inning due to right forearm discomfort.
The right-hander looked toward the Cubs’ dugout after throwing a 93.8 mph fastball to Bo Naylor low in the strike zone for a called strike. Horton threw 17 pitches, including eight strikes. He retired the Guardians in order in the first and walked Kyle Manzardo to lead off the second.
DeLauter tied it at 1-1 in the fifth inning with a base hit to left to score Daniel Schneemann. After Arias’ homer put Cleveland on top in the seventh, DeLauter drove Hunter Harvey’s 96.6 mph fastball 402 feet into the right-field stands to extend the Guardians’ lead to three runs.
It was DeLauter’s fifth home run of the season, tying him with the Athletics’ Shea Langeliers for the American League lead. DeLauter had four homers in his first three games, becoming the first big league player since Trevor Story did it in 2016 with Colorado.
Arias — who tried to score from second on DeLauter’s hit in the fifth but was thrown out at home by left fielder Ian Happ — connected on a hanging slider from Harvey (0-1) for his second home run of the season.
Up next
Cubs’ lefty Shota Imanaga (0-1, 7.20 ERA) faces Cleveland RHP Slade Cecconi (0-1, 12.46 ERA) ion Saturday.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Joe Reedy, The Associated Press
