By Canadian Press

Josh Naylor’s 2 home runs and 6 RBIs lead Guardians to 10-1 rout of Pirates and Mitch Keller

Jul 18, 2023 | 7:45 PM

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Josh Naylor homered twice, including a three-run shot that keyed a five-run first inning against All-Star Mitch Keller, and drove in six runs and the Cleveland Guardians rolled to a 10-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night.

Naylor’s first homer gave the Guardians a 4-0 lead with none out in the first inning after Keller had thrown just seven pitches. Keller was making his first appearance since pitching one inning in last week’s All-Star Game in Seattle.

In the ninth, Naylor connected again for a two-run blast, his 15th of the season, off Yohan Ramirez.

Steven Kwan led off the game with a double and scored on Amed Rosario’s single. After Jose Ramirez singled, Naylor hit his blast to right-center.

Myles Straw capped the first-inning outburst with an RBI single. The Guardians have won the first two games of the series by a combined score of 21-1 after being swept in three games at AL West-leading Texas over the weekend.

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Rookie left-hander Logan Allen (4-2) pitched five scoreless innings of one-hit ball after being recalled from Triple-A Columbus prior to the game. The lone hit was a one-out single in the fifth inning by Jared Triolo, who extended his hitting streak to 11 games.

Allen struck out eight and walked one.

Keller (9-5) was tagged for eight runs and 10 hits in six innings.

Josh Bell hit a two-run homer in the third, his 10th of the year. Naylor drove in another run with a ground out in the fourth to push the lead to 8-0.

Andres Gimenez had three of the Guardians’ 13 hits.

Connor Joe’s solo homer in the sixth inning off Eli Morgan accounted for the Pirates’ lone run. Pittsburgh has lost five straight games since the All-Star break and are 2-12 in July.

TOP PICK SKENES SIGNS

Right-hander Paul Skenes, taken by Pittsburgh with the first pick in this month’s amateur draft, agreed Tuesday to a contract that includes a $9.2 million signing bonus.

The amount is the highest for a drafted player, topping the $8,416,300 Detroit agreed to with first baseman Spencer Torkelson, the top pick in 2021.

Skenes helped LSU to this year’s NCAA title after transferring from Air Force. He was selected Most Outstanding Player of the College World Series after going 12-2 with a 1.69 ERA and 0.75 WHIP in 19 starts with 209 strikeouts in 122 2/3 innings.

ROSTER MOVE

The Guardians optioned right-hander Cody Morris to Columbus as the corresponding move for Allen’s call up. Morris has made four relief appearances for Cleveland this season and allowed four runs in four innings.

UP NEXT

The three-game series concludes Wednesday with Guardians RHP Aaron Civale (3-2 2.65 ERA) facing LHP Rich Hill (7-9, 4.76). Civale is 1-0 with a 1.50 ERA in three starts in July. Hill is 1-4 with a 5.97 ERA in his last six starts.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

John Perrotto, The Associated Press