Los Angeles Angels at Cleveland Guardians: Final Score & Recap
Line Score
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LAA | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 2 |
| CLE | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | 4 | 6 | 0 |
The Story
The Cleveland Guardians defeated the Los Angeles Angels 4-2 at Progressive Field on May 13, 2026, holding off an Angels squad that briefly threatened to erase a three-run deficit. The DiamondIQ model opened the day with Cleveland as a heavy favorite at 70% pre-game home win probability, and while that estimate climbed to 100% by the final out, the fifth inning provided a moment of genuine uncertainty when the Angels made their push.
The game's most consequential sequence centered on Zach Neto's home run off Parker Messick in the top of the fifth, a swing that added 16.1% win probability for Los Angeles and temporarily breathed life into what had been a dormant Angels offense. Neto finished as the game's top batter by WPA at plus 21.2% with a plus 2.0 RE24, making him the lone Angel to meaningfully alter the game's trajectory. Cleveland answered in the bottom of the sixth when Daniel Schneemann singled off Reid Detmers for an 11.9% win-probability swing, effectively restoring the Guardians' cushion at the most critical juncture. José Ramírez added to the pressure earlier, drawing a hit by pitch from Detmers in the third inning for a 6.1% swing, while Vaughn Grissom's double-play groundout in the same frame cost the Angels 5.4% in win probability against Messick.
On the pitching side, Erik Sabrowski led all pitchers with plus 8.1% WPA, followed closely by Parker Messick at plus 6.4% and Cade Smith at plus 6.3%, collectively neutralizing any late Angels threat. Cleveland allowed no errors across nine innings while Los Angeles committed two, a discrepancy that compounded the Angels' offensive struggles. The model's lean throughout belonged to Cleveland, and the final line confirmed it.