Rookie Tanner Bibee won his seventh consecutive decision and the Cleveland Guardians beat the AL wild-card-leading Tampa Bay Rays 9-2 on Sunday to avoid a three-game sweep.
Bibee (9-2) gave up two runs, seven hits and struck out five in seven innings and is the first Cleveland rookie to win seven in row since Gene Bearden in 1948. The ony longer rookie streak in franchise history is 10, set by Wes Ferrell in 1929.
Bibee followed fellow rookie Gavin Williams with an impressive outing for the second tstraight time, Williams struck out 10 and allowed one run on Saturday.
“Just for him to go out there and just dominate them, it gave that much confidence to be, OK these guys could be beat,” Bibee said.
The Guardians rebounded after consecutive walkoff losses to the Rays, including a 9-8 loss on Saturday in which closer Emmanuel Clase allowed three runs in the ninth.
“It was a good day just bouncing back from last night,” Cleveland manager Terry Francona said.
Bibee is 7-0 following a Guardians loss.
Andrés Giménez and Gabriel Arias homered for the Guardians, who had 15 hits. Five starters finished with two or more hits as the Cleveland won for the fifth time in 16 games.