Brayan Rocchio hit a two-run homer while Daniel Schneemann and Steven Kwan added two RBIs apiece as the Cleveland Guardians defeated the host St. Louis Cardinals 9-3 on Monday.
Guardians starter Gavin Williams (2-1) went five-plus innings, giving up five hits and two runs. The right-hander walked two and struck out four on 93 pitches.
Williams was chased in the sixth when Jordan Walker, who had six home runs all last season, hit his major-league-leading eighth to open the inning.
Walker beat out an infield single in the eighth and scored the game’s final run on Pedro Pages’ sacrifice fly. Walker, 23, has a nine-game hitting streak, and he is batting .333 with 15 RBIs and 15 runs. His 46 total bases lead the majors.
Cardinals starter Matthew Liberatore (0-1) went five innings, allowing six hits and four runs. The southpaw walked three and struck out two on 105 pitches.
The Guardians broke the game open in the fourth when they scored three times.
Jose Ramirez and Rhys Hoskins walked before David Fry loaded the bases with a single to left.
Schneemann drove in Ramirez and Hoskins with a single to right off first baseman Alec Burleson’s glove.
With one out, Austin Hedges flied out deep to left. Nathan Church made the catch but forgot how many outs there were and did not come up throwing, allowing Fry to tag up and make it 4-1.
Cleveland increased the lead to 6-1 in the sixth when Hedges drew a two-out walk and Rocchio hit a 402-foot home run to left.
The Guardians boosted the lead to 9-2 in the eighth when a throwing error scoring one run and Kwan produced an RBI single.
Angel Martinez (2-for-5) gave the Guardians a 1-0 edge with a first-inning homer. The Cardinals opened the bottom of the frame with three consecutive singles but pushed across only one run, on Burleson’s hit.
St. Louis finished 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position.
