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Guardians vs. Orioles score, recap. Cleveland holds on to win opener
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- Guardians vs. Orioles score, recap. Cleveland holds on to win opener
After not losing a series all season, the Cleveland Guardians dropped two of three games in both Atlanta and St. Louis during the last week.
Wednesday's 5-3 loss to the Cardinals gave the Guardians their first losing streak of the season. At 10-9, they trail the Minnesota Twins (11-7) in the American League Central Division.
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Now the Guardians return to Cleveland for a homestand against the Orioles and Astros. It begins Thursday night against the Orioles
Here's what to know before first pitch:
Orioles' 9th-inning rally comes up short, Guardians hold on for 4-2 win
Taylor Ward greets Cade Smith with a line single to right, loading the bases with no outs. Gunnar Henderson follows with a sacrifice fly to deep right to score a run, and Pete Alonso doubles off the right-field wall to score another run, putting runners on second and third. Smith comes back to get Colton Cowser on a flyout to center and Samuel Basallo on a groundout to a diving Juan Brito at second to save a 4-2 Guardians win after Parker Messick pitched eight no-hit innings.
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Orioles break up Parker Messick's no-hitter, Cade Smith coming on to try to close it
On the first pitch of the ninth, Leody Taveras hits a ground ball single to right field to break up Parker Messick's no-hitter. Blaze Alexander follows with a single to center to end Messick's night. Cade Smith coming in to try to close it with Guardians up 4-0.
Guardians retired in 8th, setting stage for Parker Messick's quest for historic no-hitter
The Guardians put a runner on base in the eighth, but could not score. Parker Messick is set to take the mound just three outs from a no-hitter.
Parker Messick retires Orioles in order, is 3 outs from Cleveland's first no-hitter in 45 years
Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez makes a circus catch next to the net in foul territory for the first out of the Orioles eighth. Parker Messick then comes back from a 3-0 count to strike out Jeremiah Jackson for the second out and gets Coby Mayo to ground out to shortstop Brayan Rocchio . Messick is three outs of Cleveland's first no-hitter since Len Barker's perfect game on May 15, 1981.
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Guardians threaten but strand 2 runners to lead 4-0 heading to 8th inning
Steven Kwan and Jose Ramirez hit two-out line drive singles off Orioles reliever Cameron Foster , but he strikes out Kyle Manzardo to get out of trouble. The Guardians lead 4-0 heading to the eighth.
Guardians' Parker Messick mows down Orioles in 7th inning, moves within 6 outs of a no-hitter
Parker Messick continues to mow down Orioles hitters, retiring all three he faced in the seventh on two groundouts and a lineout to left. He will take a no-hitter to the eighth.
Guardians score again, lead Orioles 4-0 heading to 7th inning
Jose Ramirez draws a lead-off walk, steams into third on Kyle Manzardo's line single to right and scores on George Valera 's single to left. Shane Baz then retires the next three batters, but the Guardians lead 4-0 heading to the seventh.
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Guardians' Parker Messick issues second walk but keeps no-hitter intact through 5½ innings
Leody Tavares draws a lead-off walk to snap a streak of 15 consecutive batters retired by Guardians starter Parker Messick, who strikes out Blaze Alexander and then induces a double-play grounder to keep his no-hitter intact. Guardians lead 3-0 heading to the bottom of the fifth.
Guardians add a run, lead Orioles 3-0 at the end of 5 innings
Guardians' Brayan Rocchio hustles for a two-out double and scores on a line-drive single by Steven Kwan after a video review. Guardians lead 3-0 through five innings.
Guardians starting pitcher Parker Messick delivers a pitch in the third inning against the Baltimore Orioles, April 16, 2026, in Cleveland.
Guardians' Parker Messick has a no-hitter through 4½ innings
Jose Ramirez makes a nice play at third base and throws across for the third out in the Orioles fourth. Guardians left-hander Parker Messick still has a no-hitter, and the Guardians lead 2-0 heading to the bottom of the fifth.
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Guardians still lead 2-0 at the end of 3 innings
Parker Messick retires the Orioles in order, with Steven Kwan making a leaping catch at the wall in center for the third out. Shane Baz follows suit, retiring the Guardians 1-2-3. Guardians lead 2-0 heading to the fourth inning.
Guardians lead 2-0 at the end of 2 innings
Both sides go down in order in the second inning. Guardians lead 2-0 at the end of two.
Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez hits a two-run home run in the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles, April 16, 2026, in Cleveland.
Jose Ramirez hits a 2-run home run to give Guardians early lead
Chase DeLauter draws a one-out walk off Orioles starter Shane Baz and scores Jose Ramirez's fourth home run of the season, a blast to right field. At the end of the first inning, it's Guardians 2, Orioles 0.
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After the Orioles get a leadoff walk in the first, Guardians starter Parker Messick retires the next three batters. It's 0-0 heading to the bottom of the first.
Where to watch the Guardians today
Today's Guardians-Orioles game will be televised on Guardians TV.
Guardians lineup today vs. Orioles
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S. Kwan (L) CF
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C. DeLauter (L) DH
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J. Ramírez (S) 3B
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K. Manzardo (L) 1B
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G. Valera (L) RF
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A. Martínez (S) LF
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J. Brito (S) 2B
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A. Hedges (R) C
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B. Rocchio (S) SS
Orioles lineup today vs. Guardians
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T. Ward (R) LF
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G. Henderson (L) DH
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P. Alonso (R) 1B
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J. Rodríguez (R) RF
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S. Basallo (L) C
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J. Jackson (R) 2B
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C. Mayo (R) 3B
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L. Taveras (S) CF
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B. Alexander (R) SS
Guardians vs. Orioles starting pitchers today
Left-hander Parker Messick (2-0, 0.51) gets the start for Cleveland on Thursday.
Messick was dominant against the Braves on Saturday, allowing just four hits and two walks and striking out five in 6⅔ scoreless innings in a 6-0 win.
Apr 11, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Parker Messick (77) throws against the Atlanta Braves in the sixth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Right-hander Shane Baz (0-1, 4.50) gets the start for the Orioles. He was the losing pitcher in a loss Friday to the Giants, allowing three runs on nine hits with four strikeouts and two walks in five innings. A trade acquisition from the Tampa Bay Rays in the offseason, Baz has not yet pitched six innings and has surrendered at least three earned runs in two of his first three starts this season.
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American League Central Division standings
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Twins 11-8
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Guardians 10-9
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Tigers 9-9
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Royals 7-11
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White Sox 6-12
Dustin May pitches Cardinals past Guardians Wednesday
Dustin May tossed six strong innings and Alec Burleson drove in two runs, fueling the St. Louis Cardinals to a 5-3 victory over the visiting Cleveland Guardians on Wednesday afternoon.
May (2-2) allowed one run on six hits with four strikeouts for St. Louis, which won the rubber match of the series after posting a 6-5 victory on Tuesday. Nathan Church went 3-for-4 with an RBI double on Wednesday.
Cleveland's Slade Cecconi allowed one run on three hits with five walks in four innings. Connor Brogdon (2-2) relieved Cecconi and surrendered three runs on two hits in 1⅓ innings.
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Bo Naylor drove in two runs for the Guardians, who lost for the fourth time in six games.
Cleveland opened the scoring in the first inning on Kyle Manzardo's two-out single.
St. Louis evened the score in the second inning.
Church singled and stole second with one out before coming around to score on Pedro Pages 's RBI single. Cecconi walked JJ Wetherholt and Ivan Herrera to load the bases before striking out Burleson to escape the jam.
After throwing a perfect fifth inning in relief of Cecconi, Brogdon allowed singles to Masyn Winn and Church in the sixth before Victor Scott II walked to load the bases. Wetherholt's sacrifice fly off Tim Herrin gave the Cardinals a 2-1 lead, and St. Louis tacked on two more runs on Burleson's single.
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St. Louis reliever Justin Bruihl entered in the seventh inning and surrendered Naylor's two-run double. JoJo Romero , however, retired Brayan Rocchio on two pitches, preserving the one-run lead.
Cleveland's fourth pitcher, Matt Festa , gave up Nolan Gorman 's leadoff single in the seventh before Church laced a run-scoring double to extend the Cardinals' edge to 5-3.
Riley O'Brien posted his fifth save in as many opportunities with a perfect ninth.
Guardians vs Orioles pitching probables
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April 17 - Tanner Bibee (0-2, 6.38 ERA) vs Chris Bassitt (0-2, 9.00)
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April 18 - Gavin Williams (1-1, 2.04) vs TBA
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April 19 - Joey Cantillo (1-0, 2.45) vs Trevor Trevor Rogers (2-0, 1.89)
The Akron Beacon Journal sports department can be contacted via email at bjsports@thebeaconjournal.com.
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This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Guardians score, recap. Parker Messick pitches 8 no-hit innings
