José Ramírez hit a run-scoring double to tie for the major league RBIs lead, Shane Bieber pitched neatly into the fifth inning before a long rain delay and the Cleveland Guardians beat the Texas Rangers 4-0 Wednesday night.
Ramírez went 2 for 4 with a stolen base and his 54th RBI of the season, matching Mets star Pete Alonso.
Andrés Giménez had two doubles and an RBI, and Josh Naylor and Steven Kwan each singled twice as the Guardians moved back to .500 for the second time this week.
Bieber recorded his 700th career strikeout by whiffing Mitch Garver in the fourth. The right-hander reached the milestone in his 93rd game, matching the second-fewest appearances to do so behind Yu Darvish’s 87.
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The Guardians led 4-0 in the fifth when crew chief Alfonso Marquez called for the tarp after Nathaniel Lowe’s one-out single. Bieber repeatedly cursed while walking off the field when play was halted -- two outs shy of an official game -- for 1 hour, 52 minutes.
The nine-inning game, which was delayed 15 minutes at the start, was completed in just 2:07, matching the total time of the two delays.
Bieber allowed three hits, struck out six and walked none in 4 1/3 innings.
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Eli Morgan (2-1) worked 1 2/3 perfect innings when play resumed for the Guardians, including a pickoff of Adolis Garcia at second base before he threw a pitch.
Dane Dunning (1-4) gave up four runs and nine hits in four innings, extending his winless streak to seven starts. He is 1-10 in his career on the road.
García and Lowe had two hits apiece for Texas, which has lost six of its last eight. The Rangers only advanced one runner past second base against five Cleveland pitchers.
The Guardians have had seven games postponed due to weather at Progressive Field this year. Cleveland has played four home doubleheaders and has five twin bills remaining.
The Monday game was rained out, forcing the teams to play a doubleheader Tuesday. Texas won the nightcap 6-3 after losing the opener by the same score.
“The two words I’m tired of are ‘Lake effect (rain)’, but we haven’t figured out a way to beat it,” Guardians manager Terry Francona said. “It seems like everybody likes to throw that in there when the weather doesn’t go according to plan.”
