Triston McKenzie allows homer to first batter, but Guardians rally for lopsided win over Oakland

CLEVELAND — A game that began dubiously for the Guardians ended on an emphatic winning note Friday night at Progressive Field. Right-hander Triston McKenzie allowed a home run to the first batter, but Cleveland shook it off and used a big fifth inning to rally past the Oakland A's 10-2. It was the fifth win in six games for the Guardians, who improved to 14-6, accounting for the best record in the American League and their best mark over the first 20 games of a season since 1995. After finishing third in the Central Division last year, 11 games behind the first-place Twins, few expected this type of start from the Guardians under rookie manager Stephen Vogt. "We're having fun," said Tyler Freeman, who played a big part in the win, hitting a go-ahead homer and making a diving catch in the second inning. "It wasn't easy having a whole new everything, pretty much. We had a mindset coming into spring training that we were gonna play as a team and work extremely hard, and I think it's kind of showing right now. "We show up every day ready to work, and when it's gametime, it's just kind of natural. I think it's just relying on teammates. We hold each other accountable for our work. We're just trying to work extremely hard so it pays off in the end." Up 2-1 on the strength of Freeman's response homer, the Guardians put it away by scoring five times in the fifth off Oakland starter Joe Boyle. Steven Kwan's two-run double down the right-field line followed by a two-run single from Andres Gimenez landed the big blows, leaving Cleveland in front 7-1. The Guardians got a brief but effective outing from McKenzie, who lasted five innings, allowing only three hits while striking out six and walking three. After allowing the solo homer to Abraham Toro three pitches into the game, he retired five straight — three strikeouts — before loading the bases on consecutive walks with two outs in the second. McKenzie got out of the jam and retired 10 of the last 12 batters he faced. Vogt thought the early homer woke up his starting pitcher. "You see a different demeanor," Vogt said. "I don't know a whole lot about T-Mac, I'm still getting to know him, but it seems like when he gives up a barrel, he finds a different gear. "I think it was the best thing that could have happened for him tonight to have that happen on the first batter. Solo shots don't beat you. It's the walks before. I couldn't have been more thrilled with the way T-Mac responded. It's the best we've seen him all year, just a huge step in the right direction." "I definitely think (the homer) straightened me up a little bit," said McKenzie, who was limited to four starts last year due to injuries. "But at the same time, I think the energy was there from Pitch 1. "I'd say it's the best execution (I've had). I feel like every start's kinda been the same physically, but that's probably the best that I've gone out there and looked from Pitch 1." Cleveland pitchers allowed six hits, piling up 10 strikeouts. Oakland managed only three hits after the fourth inning. The Guardians put an exclamation point on the series-opening victory by scoring three times in the eighth, getting a solo shot from Josh Naylor — his fifth of the season. Freeman and Estevan Florial were the only Cleveland players with more than one hit, but the Guardians got at least a hit from six of the nine in the lineup. Florial's three hits were a career high. Freeman also pitched in defensively, turning and sprinting to the wall before laying out to rob Lawrence Butler of extra bases with the Guardians trailing 1-0. "That was one of those when I thought he hit it well over his head and Free closed it down really well and made a great catch," Vogt said. "That's a great play," McKenzie said. "Right off the bat, I thought it was a double. But to look up and see him have the ball in his glove and be on the ground was huge. It was a big play." Contact Chris Assenheimer at (440) 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com. Like him on Facebook and follow him @CAwesomeheimer on X.