Cleveland Guardians pitcher Gavin Williams delivered a dominant performance, allowing one unearned run over 7 2/3 innings with nine strikeouts and zero walks in a 3-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays at Progressive Field. The win capped Cleveland's April schedule and avoided a sweep. Williams snapped a 45-start streak without a walk-free outing.
Gavin Williams pounded the strike zone on Wednesday, permitting just five hits and no walks while striking out nine in the Guardians' 3-1 win. The right-hander, who led MLB with 83 walks in 2025, has issued zero free passes in four straight starts, fewer than the opposing starter each time. Tampa Bay's Drew Rasmussen walked one in five innings. “When Gavin throws strikes, that's what you get,” manager Stephen Vogt said. “He looked under control from the first inning on. Williams faced two batters over the minimum through six innings, using his four-seam fastball effectively as the Rays went 2-for-17 against it with five strikeouts. His fastball averaged 96.7 mph this season entering the game, holding opponents to a .100 average. “Honestly, just think about throwing it right down the middle,” Williams said. He leads MLB with 53 strikeouts through seven starts in 2026. Cleveland's offense scattered nine hits, with Chase DeLauter driving in two runs on a fifth-inning single and Brayan Rocchio going 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Kyle Manzardo added a sacrifice fly. Rocchio, hitting .283, has 17 RBIs. The Guardians rank low in key offensive categories but have played in an MLB-leading 18 close games. Tampa Bay third baseman Junior Caminero returned to the lineup after fouling a ball off his face Tuesday, suffering a bruised jaw but no fractures. His braces protected his teeth. “Thank God, I’m all good,” Caminero said.
