The Cleveland Guardians celebrated in the visiting clubhouse at Busch Stadium after their win on Friday night. They gathered around the TV to watch the Kansas City Royals attempt a comeback against the San Francisco Giants in the ninth inning. However, when the final out was made and Kansas City officially lost, Cleveland’s clubhouse erupted with excitement.
During an interview with media, starting pitcher Ben Lively paused to acknowledge the commotion. He looked directly into the camera and confidently stated, “One game closer.” The Guardians were aware of what was at stake – a win on Saturday or a loss by the Royals would secure Cleveland’s 12th division title.
As soon as their own game against the St. Louis Cardinals began, which they eventually lost 6-5, news arrived that the Royals had been defeated by a score of 9-0 against the Giants. This released some of the pressure for Cleveland as they knew they were now just one step away from clinching their division.
A month ago, this outcome seemed uncertain. On August 27th, both teams were tied for first place in AL Central after Cleveland suffered three consecutive losses to Kansas City. However, in their series finale game against each other, which ended with a come-from-behind victory for Cleveland, they managed to halt their losing streak. Since then, while the Guardians have gone on to achieve a record of 15-7 during this period of time; meanwhile,the Royals have struggled with a record of 7-15. As a result,Cleveland has secured its fifth AL Central title within nine seasons
