Triston McKenzie allowed just one hit in seven innings and Franmil Reyes drove in both runs as the Cleveland Guardians blanked the visiting New York Yankees 2-0 on Sunday.

Cleveland salvaged the final contest of the three-game series with the victory.

McKenzie (5-6) pitched perhaps his best game of the season. He walked one and struck out seven.

He allowed just three baserunners to the Yankees’ powerful lineup: a single by Josh Donaldson and a walk to Giancarlo Stanton in the fourth inning and Marwin Gonzalez was hit by a pitch in the sixth.

Closer Emmanuel Clase earned his 19th save but it was anything but easy. New York loaded the bases on two walks and an error. Clase hadn’t allowed a walk since May 30.

He induced Aaron Hicks to hit into a groundout to end the game.

The Guardians had lost the first five games of the six-game season series with the Yankees.

For the third consecutive game, the Guardians got on the board first. Reyes blasted his sixth home run to lead off the fourth. It traveled an estimated 384 feet into the left-field stands for a 1-0 lead. It was Reyes’ second homer of the series.

Cleveland rallied for a key insurance run in the bottom of the eighth. Steven Kwan and Amed Rosario singled to lead off the inning against J.P. Sears. Kwan, though, was thrown out at the plate on a ground ball by Gabriel Arias. Arias, called up from Triple-A Columbus on Saturday, wandered off first base and was tagged out in a rundown.

Reyes, though, came through with a clutch two-out single to drive in Rosario with the Guardians’ second run.

Left-hander Jordan Montgomery (3-2) pitched five strong innings for the Yankees. He allowed just three hits and one run — Reyes’ homer — and walked three. Montgomery fanned eight batters. His last seven outs came via the strikeout.

–Field Level Media