Guardians rally for 5-3 win after spotting Angels early 2-0 lead

Updated: Mar. 06, 2026, 6:37 p.m.|Published: Mar. 06, 2026, 6:09 p.m.

By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Petey Halpin and Chase DeLauter drove in runs Friday in the fifth inning as the Guardians broke a 2-2 tie in a 5-3 Cactus League win over the Angels at Goodyear Ballpark.

Daniel Schneemann opened the fifth with a single. He stole second and scored on Halpin’s double to right for a 3-2 lead. Steven Kwan followed with a walk and DeLauter singled to left to score Halpin for a 4-2 lead.

DeLauter, who started in right field and batted second, was in the lineup for the first time since March 1. He’d been sidelined with a sore hamstring.

The Guardians stretched the lead to 5-2 in the sixth on a single by Gabriel Arias. Cleveland’s shortstop, who missed five games with a sore lower back, was 2 for 2 with two RBI.

Gavin Williams, in his third start of the season, allowed two runs, one earned, in 3 2/3 innings for Cleveland. He struck out five and didn’t walk a batter.

The Angels took a 2-0 lead in the first on doubles by Adam Frazier and Jeimer Candelario. Errors by the Guardians escorted Candelario home. He took third on an errant throw by DeLauter, and scored on another errant throw by catcher David Fry.

Cleveland came right back to tie the score with two runs in the second against lefty Reid Detmers. Schneemann’s fielder’s choice scored Fry, and Arias scored Schneemann with the tying run on a sun-ball double to right field.

Connor Brogdon earned the win with a scoreless fifth, while Will Dion pitched the ninth for the save.

The Guardians, 7-8 in Cactus League play, finished with eight hits. Schneemann and Arias were the only Guardians with two hits in the game. Schneemann is hitting .368 (7 for 19) and Arias is hitting .333 (4 for 12) this spring.

Next

Right-hander Slade Cecconi (0-1, 3.86) will make his third start of the spring when the Guardians play the Padres on Saturday at Goodyear Ballpark. Game time is 3:05 p.m. Guardians TV/WTAM 1100 will simulcast the game.

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