Guardians Sweep Royals Behind Rocchio's Key Hits

Cleveland Guardians shortstop Brayan Rocchio provided the decisive blow in a 2-1 walk-off victory over the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday afternoon at Progressive Field, capping a tense, low-scoring affair that highlighted the early-season intensity between the American League Central rivals.

The game, advanced five hours from its original start time due to forecasts of subfreezing temperatures in the evening, began under chilly conditions of 33 degrees at first pitch, the coldest at the stadium since April 2018. Kansas City struck first in the second inning when rookie Carter Jensen launched a solo home run off Guardians starter Gavin Williams, his third of the season and second in as many games. Williams pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing one run on that hit while striking out eight and walking five.

Cleveland's pitchers, meanwhile, dominated, limiting the Royals to just that one hit in what became the Guardians' first one-hitter since August 2023. The Guardians tied the score in the fifth when catcher Austin Hedges singled, advanced on a groundout and scored on Steven Kwan's two-out RBI single to left field. Reliever Noah Cameron took the loss for Kansas City after 5 2/3 innings,...