Martínez’s Late-Inning Heroics Propel Guardians to 7–4 Win Over Dodgers

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In a dramatic interleague matchup, the Cleveland Guardians mounted a thrilling late-inning comeback to defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers 7–4 on Wednesday. The highlight of the game came in the bottom of the eighth inning when rookie Angel Martínez launched a towering three-run home run, turning a tied game into a decisive Cleveland victory. The Dodgers built a comfortable 4–1 lead midway through the game, aided by contributions from Will Smith, Andy Pages, and Freddie Freeman, as well as a run scored by Kiké Hernández on a wild pitch. Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw pitched five strong innings, allowing only one run and striking out three. It was his longest outing of the season since returning from knee and toe surgery. Cleveland’s comeback began in the seventh inning with an RBI single from Carlos Santana, who went 3-for-4 on the night. In the eighth, Nolan Jones tied the game with a two-run single off Dodgers reliever Tanner Scott, setting the stage for Martínez’s 394-foot blast off Alex Vesia.

Matt Festa earned the win for Cleveland with a scoreless eighth inning, while Emmanuel Clase recorded his 11th save of the season with a perfect ninth. The Guardians' bullpen combined to shut down the Dodgers after starter Kolby Allard allowed two runs over four innings in a spot start. José Ramírez extended his hitting streak to a career-best 21 games with an RBI single in the first inning, placing him eighth on the franchise's all-time hit list with 1,564. Meanwhile, MLB home run leader Shohei Ohtani, who had homered in three consecutive games entering Wednesday, went 0-for-3 with a walk. Despite losing the series, Cleveland salvaged the final game of the three-game set.

However, the Guardians may face additional challenges ahead as left fielder Steven Kwan exited early with inflammation in his right wrist. Martínez’s clutch home run not only highlighted the young infielder’s potential but also underscored the Guardians’ resilience and ability to rally late in games.