The Cleveland Guardians escaped Great American Ball Park with a 6-5 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on July 28, 2026, handing Cincinnati a one-run defeat in nine innings. Sal Stewart gave the Reds every reason to believe, slugging a home run and knocking in three runs, but Sam Moll surrendered the decisive run in relief, and closer Cade Smith locked the door in the ninth — allowing a walk but no hits — to secure the win for Cleveland. The loss went to Moll, who allowed two hits, a walk, and an earned run in one inning of work.

Sal Stewart Powers Cincinnati Offense With Home Run and Three RBIs

Stewart was the best player on the field Monday night, full stop. A 2-for-3 line with a home run and three RBIs — that is the kind of performance that should win a ballgame. He gave the Reds a legitimate shot, and on most nights that output carries Cincinnati. Tyler Stephenson backed him up with a 2-for-4 night and an RBI, Nathaniel Lowe and Dane Myers each went 2-for-4, and Elly De La Cruz was 2-for-5 at the top of the lineup. Five Reds with multiple hits and the club still lost. That tells you everything about where this game fell apart — and how Cleveland's comeback made it all sting that much more.

Chase Burns Keeps Reds Competitive Through Five Innings

Chase Burns did his job. Five innings, one earned run, five hits, four strikeouts, two walks — that is a quality start by any measure, and the Reds' offense gave him plenty to work with early. Cleveland's Slade Cecconi, by contrast, got lit up: four earned runs on seven hits in just 3.2 innings, allowing the Reds to build a lead. At that point, Great American Ball Park had every reason to feel good about Cincinnati's chances — but the Guardians came from behind to take the lead for good off Moll, completing a one-run comeback the Reds could not answer.

The Guardians bullpen, however, did the heavy lifting. Franco Aleman was dominant in relief, striking out five batters over two perfect innings to stabilize Cleveland's situation after Cecconi's rough outing. That stretch from Aleman effectively neutralized the Reds' momentum and kept the game within reach for Cleveland.

The Turning Point: Sam Moll and the Eighth Inning

The game turned on Sam Moll. With Brock Burke and Pierce Johnson having each contributed a scoreless inning of relief, the Reds handed the ball to Moll — and he couldn't hold it. Two hits, a walk, and an earned run later, Cleveland had the lead for good. Colin Holderman earned the win for the Guardians by recording a clean inning of relief, and Cade Smith closed it out in the ninth — issuing one walk but allowing no hits — to preserve the result.

Key Performances at a Glance

  • Sal Stewart (CIN): 2-for-3, 1 HR, 3 RBI
  • Tyler Stephenson (CIN): 2-for-4, 1 RBI
  • Elly De La Cruz (CIN): 2-for-5
  • Nathaniel Lowe (CIN): 2-for-4
  • Dane Myers (CIN): 2-for-4
  • Chase Burns (CIN): 5.0 IP, 4 K, 1 ER
  • Kyle Manzardo (CLE): 1-for-3, 1 HR, 4 RBI
  • Franco Aleman (CLE): 2.0 IP, 5 K, 0 ER, 0 H
  • Cade Smith (CLE): Save, 1.0 IP, 1 K

Cleveland's Kyle Manzardo Does the Damage

For the Guardians, Kyle Manzardo was the offensive catalyst, going 1-for-3 with a home run and four RBIs. Four runs batted in on one hit — that is a brutal line to absorb on the wrong side of. José Ramírez added a 2-for-5 night, and Petey Halpin contributed two hits as well, keeping Cleveland's lineup active throughout.

What's Next for the Reds

Cincinnati drops this one at home by a single run, a result that will sting given how many hits the lineup generated. The Reds had five players collect multiple hits on Monday night — that kind of contact production should win baseball games. The bullpen, specifically that eighth-inning stretch, is where this one got away. The series with Cleveland continues, and the Reds will need their late-game relief options to be sharper if they want to avoid dropping another close one at Great American Ball Park.