Parker Messick continued the impressive start to his career by tossing 6 2/3 strong innings Saturday night, earning the win as the Cleveland Guardians beat the host Atlanta Braves 6-0 in the middle contest of a three-game interleague series.
Jose Ramirez homered in the first for the Guardians, who have won three of four. Five players had a hit apiece for the Braves, who had their three-game winning streak snapped.
Messick (2-0) gave up four hits and walked two while striking out five. The Braves built their lone threat against the left-hander in the fifth, when Ronald Acuna Jr. tripled with two outs before Messick struck out Drake Baldwin.
The 25-year-old rookie lowered his ERA this season to 0.51 and dropped his career ERA to 2.04 in 10 starts dating back to last year.
Right-hander Connor Brogdon got the final out of the seventh before Erik Sabrowski threw a perfect eighth and Shawn Armstrong struck out two in a one-hit ninth to complete the Guardians’ first shutout victory of the season.
The Braves were blanked for the first time this year.
Cleveland’s Rhys Hoskins had an RBI groundout in the sixth and Chase DeLauter laced a run-scoring double in the eighth before Cleveland added three insurance runs in the ninth in unusual fashion.
Steven Kwan walked with two outs and stole second base, took third when catcher Jonah Heim couldn’t find the ball in the dirt and scored when Heim’s throw to third sailed into left field. Angel Martinez and Ramirez walked, then Daniel Schneemann then hit a two-run single.
Ramirez and Martinez had two hits apiece. Ramirez swiped a pair of bases while Martinez also had a theft.
Atlanta starter Martin Perez (0-1) took the hard-luck loss after allowing one run on two hits and three walks while striking out two over five innings. The 35-year-old left-hander, who is pitching for his seventh big league team, lowered his ERA to 3.14 in three games (two starts).
