Guardians beat Angels in Spring Breakout game, 4-2, behind strong pitching

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Guardians’ prospects outpitched and outscored their Angels’ counterparts on Thursday at Tempe Diablo Stadium as part of MLB’s Spring Breakout format. DH Wuilfredo Antunez hit a three-run homer in the fourth inning and Cleveland’s pitchers carried a shutout into the ninth in a 4-2 victory over the Angels. MLB started the Spring Breakout three years ago to showcase the game’s younger players. The Guardians did just that Thursday. Right-hander Yorman Gómez, a member of the 40-man roster, started for the Guardians and threw three scoreless innings. He struck out one and allowed four hits. Left-hander Josh Hartle and right-hander Joey Oakie followed with two scoreless innings each. They each struck out three batters while walking one. Hartle was 10-2 with a 2.35 ERA in 22 starts last year at Class A Lake County. Oakie was Cleveland’s third round pick last year. MLB.com ranked Oakie No. 10 and Hartle No. 27 among the Guardians’ top 30 prospects for the 2026 season. Right-hander Braylon Doughty relieved Oakie and pitched a scoreless eighth despite allowing two singles to start the inning. In the ninth, he lost the shutout when Denzer Guzman hit a two-run homer. Magnus Ellerts relieved and earned the save by inducing a 6-4-3 double play off the bat of Anthony Santa Cruz de Oviedo. MLB.com ranked Doughty No. 8 among the Guardians prospects. The Guardians did all their scoring in the fourth inning. Milan Tolentino opened the inning with a single off Trey Gregory-Alford. Angel Genao walked and both runners advanced on Alfonsi Rosario’s fly out to center. Jaison Chourio sent a grounder to first with Tolentino running on contact. First baseman Ben Gobbel made an offline throw home as Tolentino scored for a 1-0 lead. Antunez, a non-roster invitee to big league camp this spring, hit a 1-0 pitch over the wall in right center for a 4-0 lead. The Guardians’ defense matched their pitching. They turned four double plays. Catcher Cooper Ingle threw out one potential base stealer and picked off another to complete a double play. They showed some good relay work in the third when Juan Flores tried to stretch a double into a triple. The ball got past Rosario in right field, but he quickly recovered and threw to first baseman Ralphy Velazquez, who threw to Tolentino at third, who tagged Flores. The Angels outhit the Guardians, 10-7. Antunez led Cleveland with two hits. Guardians’ Yorman Gómez threw three scoreless innings to start the game as the Guardians’ young players impressed at MLB’s Spring Breakout event Thursday.pitchers struck out 10 and walked four.