Kyle Manzardo led a long-ball barrage with two home runs and Gavin Williams tossed six strong innings to lead the Cleveland Guardians past the visiting Cincinnati Reds, 10-3, on Sunday in the rubber game of the three-game series.

The Guardians belted six homers on the day, accounting for all 10 runs, and won for the fifth time in six games and for the eighth time in 11 games.

After opening 20-11, Cincinnati lost for the 12th time in 16 games.

Williams (6-3) stopped a personal two-game losing streak and won for the first time since April 29. The flame-throwing righty, who won five straight decisions in April, allowed just two runs and eight hits over six innings, striking out seven and walking none.

Jose Ramirez broke a 24-game homerless drought with a two-run shot in the eighth and walked twice as the Cleveland franchise belted six home runs in a game for the first time since Aug. 15, 2019 against the New York Yankees.

Cleveland jumped on top with a Chase DeLauter two-run homer in the first against Cincinnati starter Brady Singer (2-4).

Elly De La Cruz launched his team-leading 11th home run, an opposite field solo shot off Williams that cut Cleveland’s lead to 2-1 in the top of the third.

But Cleveland answered immediately in the bottom of the inning with the first of Manzardo’s two home runs, a long drive down the right-field line that hit off the foul pole and put Cleveland ahead 4-1.

After the Reds cut the lead to 4-2 on a Nathanial Lowe RBI single against Williams in the fourth, Brayan Rocchio added his fourth of the year on a hanging Singer breaking ball in the bottom of the frame for a 5-2 Cleveland advantage.

One start after taking a line drive off the right side of his right foot, Singer was charged with five runs on seven hits in four innings, including a season-high-tying three home runs for the second straight start.

Manzardo added his second homer of the game and his fourth of the season in the fifth off lefty reliever Brock Burke. Angel Martinez also had a two-run homer off reliever Connor Phillips in the seventh.

Travis Bazzana went 3-for-4 for the Guardians, while DeLauter, Manzardo and Rocchio all contributed two hits.

De La Cruz went 2-for-5, but fanned twice as the Reds struck out a dozen times.

–Field Level Media

NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. — While Aaron Rai was pulling away from the pack Sunday at the PGA Championship, two of the biggest names in golf were unable to keep pace on the back nine and make the first-time major winner from England sweat it out.

Spanish star Jon Rahm tied for second three shots behind Rai by going 67-68 on the weekend, while Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy landed five behind Rai and tied for seventh after a Sunday 69.

Rai played his final 10 holes in 6 under par to emerge from an ever-changing leaderboard, and Rahm, McIlroy, Xander Schauffele and others with major-championship experience could not solve the more challenging back nine at Aronimink Golf Club.

Five of the course’s six toughest holes this week were on the back nine, and only two on the back played under par — the short par-4 No. 13 and No. 16, the only par-5.

Rahm only birdied No. 16 amid a sea of eight pars; he narrowly missed a birdie putt at No. 13, as well as 17 and 18.

“What Aaron did today, catching him could have been very difficult,” Rahm said. “I don’t know if it could happen, but I would have liked a better chance playing the last two holes.”

Rahm’s T2 was nonetheless his best finish at a major in three years, which coincides with his three seasons as a member of LIV Golf. Asked Sunday what he feels he needs to tidy up to “get across the line” this season, Rahm responded, “I’m assuming you mean in majors?” That’s because he’s had a successful LIV season, with two victories and three runners-up to date in seven events.

“The margin, even though it’s three shots, it can be so small honestly,” Rahm said. “I feel like I’m playing really good golf and definitely played good enough this week to give myself a chance to win. So keep doing what I’ve been doing well.

“I still need to give myself some time to think about what I could have done better this week. Right now I’m really still fresh on just today, but I did miss two putts from about four feet yesterday. So that’s two shots right there.”

Rahm has previously said he needed to change some things about his preparation for major championships. He told reporters Sunday that he did in fact make some tweaks; asked if he’d elaborate, Rahm grinned and said, “No.”

“I think you guys always think it’s going to be something life-changing,” he said. “It’s just small, little details that, unless you’re within (the game), you’re not really going to understand. It’s hard to explain.”

Masters champion McIlroy was very much in contention to win his second leg of the calendar Grand Slam after rebounding from an opening 74 with rounds of 67 and 66. Far and away the fan favorite on the property Sunday, he thrilled the crowd by sticking his approach at No. 2 to 5 feet and converting the birdie.

But that was the only birdie he’d see until the par-3 14th, one hole after a disastrous bogey at the gettable 13th, where he shoved his drive to the right and hit from back-to-back thick lies in the rough.

McIlroy also failed to capitalize at No. 16, making par and resigning himself to a top-10 finish rather than a victory.

He did not sit for a full press conference but gave brief comments in a TV interview.

“I think not birdieing the two par-5s and making the bogey at the drivable par-4 13th” did him in, he said. “To me I felt like I played the golf I needed to play the rest of the way. If I birdied the two par-5s and turned that 5 into a 3 on 13, the day looks very different.”

But both Rahm and McIlroy joined the chorus of praise for Rai, who shook off three early bogeys and sank a 40-foot eagle putt at No. 9 before a series of terrific shots led to four birdies on the back nine, including a 68 1/2-footer at No. 17.

“You won’t find one person on property who’s not happy for him,” McIlroy said.

In the long term, the intriguing piece is that Rahm and McIlroy may have been watching a future Ryder Cup teammate. Rai, 31, has yet to be selected for a Ryder Cup team but has put his name in the mix for 2027 at Adare Manor.

Rahm said he has not spent much time with Rai, but the reviews are overwhelmingly positive.

“I have heard consistently there’s very few people that are nicer and kinder human beings than Aaron Rai,” Rahm said, noting his respect for the game. “… I have heard absolutely nothing but good or great things about Aaron Rai. He’s been playing great golf. He’s a fantastic golfer. He’s been able to perform really well. What he did today is nothing short of special.”

–Adam Zielonka, Field Level Media

Corbin Carroll hit two homers and drove in three runs Sunday to help the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks post an 8-6 victory over the Colorado Rockies.

After a 105-minute weather delay to start the series finale, Michael Soroka (6-2) threw 5 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on six hits, striking out eight and walking two. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. homered and Gabriel Moreno had three hits for Arizona, which won its first road series since taking two of three from the Baltimore Orioles from April 13-15.

Michael Lorenzen (2-6) suffered his fourth straight loss for Colorado, allowing seven runs (six earned) on nine hits across 4 2/3 innings, striking out five and walking three. Willi Castro drove in two runs for the Rockies, who dropped their sixth game in eight tries.

Carroll and Geraldo Perdomo worked back-to-back two-out walks in the third before Nolan Arenado’s RBI single put Arizona ahead 1-0. Gurriel followed with a single to double the Diamondbacks’ lead.

After Moreno’s leadoff single in the fourth, Ildemaro Vargas’ RBI base hit pushed the Arizona advantage to 3-0. Carroll then crushed his sixth home run of the season, a 431-foot shot to give the visitors a five-run lead.

The Rockies got two runs back in the bottom of the fourth. TJ Rumfield, Troy Johnston and Castro laced consecutive two-out doubles to trim the deficit to 5-2.

In the fifth, Gurriel connected on his first homer of the season to push the lead to four. Moreno then singled, stole second and advanced to third on catcher Brett Sullivan’s throwing error before Jose Fernandez’s single extended Arizona’s lead back to five.

Blas Castano relieved Lorenzen after 101 pitches.

Castano allowed Carroll’s second homer of the game in the sixth, this time a 448-foot solo shot.

Against Arizona’s Brandon Pfaadt in the bottom of the eighth, Hunter Goodman singled, Rumfield was hit by a pitch and Johnston walked to load the bases with no outs. Castro’s sac fly and Jake McCarthy cut the Rockies’ deficit to 8-4.

Taylor Clarke then replaced Pfaadt and allowed Kyle Karros’ RBI single and Brett Sullivan’s sac fly, pulling Colorado within two.

Paul Sewald threw a scoreless ninth to earn his 10th save in 11 attempts.

–Field Level Media