CLEVELAND – John Means threw a no-hit seventh inning, Anthony Santander drove in two runs and the American League East-leading Baltimore Orioles beat the Cleveland Guardians 2-1 on Saturday.
Means, a 30-year-old left-hander, was making his third start in 17 months after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Cleveland’s only hit came when Andrés Giménez found an off-ball and hit a 406-foot home run over right field.
In 7 1/3 innings, Means (1-1) allowed three runners to reach base with a walk, a hit and Giménez’s home run. He threw 96 pitches, his most of the season, and struck out four of them.
He had gone five innings in each of his five previous appearances. He underwent surgery on April 27 last year.
Baltimore, which secured its first playoff berth since 2016, maintained a two-and-a-half game lead over Tampa Bay, which sits second in the East Division. The Orioles also lead the American League with seven games left in the season and have the tiebreaker over the Rays in their favor.
Santander had a double, driving in rookie Gunnar Henderson in the first and James McCann with a single in the sixth.
The loss went to Cal Quantrill (3-7).
For the Orioles, Venezuelan Anthony Santander was 3-for-5 with two RBIs. Mexican Ramón Urías was 4-1.
For the Guardians, the Dominicans José Ramírez 4:0, Ramón Laureano 3:0, José Tena 1:0. The Venezuelans Giménez 3-1 with a goal and an RBI, Gabriel Arias 1-0.
