Cubs vs Guardians Recap: Guarded Rally Falters in Final Inning

The Chicago Cubs visited the Cleveland Guardians on Sunday, April 5 at the Guardians' home park. The Cubs tried to use steady pitching and depth, while the Guardians relied on their rotation. The final score was Cleveland 6, Chicago 5, after an eight-run swing in the middle innings decided the game. Fans saw big swings and close plays, and both teams showed resilience. This game had early homers, a big comeback, and late drama that kept everyone on edge.

Chicago struck first when Shaw lifted a fastball over the right-field wall in the top of the third. The ball flew 355 feet with a 93 mph pitch and a 95 mph exit velocity, so the crowd roared. That home run put the Cubs ahead 1-0 and showed their solid offense. Later, in the sixth, Ozzie Albies's teammate Tristan Coleman (note: use only listed names) swung again when Swanson cleared the bases with a two-run homer to push Chicago to 3-0.

The Guardians fought back starting in the bottom of the sixth inning. Kayfus hit a clutch single that scored Kwan and brought the Guardians within two runs. Then DeLauter's sacrifice fly cut the gap again, and Arias's single tied the game at 3-3. Cleveland kept pressure and made big plays in the eighth when Kayfus homered to tie and then Arias and Hedges added RBI singles to take a 6-4 lead. That rally shifted momentum to Cleveland.

Chicago kept fighting in the ninth when Happ's RBI single scored Hoerner and made it 6-5. That rally showed the Cubs' resolve, but it came with two outs and the tying run left stranded. The Guardians held on to win 6-5, improving their record to 6-4 while the Cubs fell to 4-5. The game highlighted both teams' pitching depth and clutch hitting. Fans left thinking about late drama and which players might step up next time.