Bazzana’s 7th-inning homer helps lift Guardians past Brewers 4-2

By: Rich Rovito, The Associated Press Posted: 4:34 PM CDT Thursday, Jun. 18, 2026

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Travis Bazzana hit a go-ahead solo homer in the seventh inning, Parker Messick pitched six effective innings and the Cleveland Guardians beat the Milwaukee Brewers 4-2 on Thursday.

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MILWAUKEE (AP) — Travis Bazzana hit a go-ahead solo homer in the seventh inning, Parker Messick pitched six effective innings and the Cleveland Guardians beat the Milwaukee Brewers 4-2 on Thursday.

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MILWAUKEE (AP) — Travis Bazzana hit a go-ahead solo homer in the seventh inning, Parker Messick pitched six effective innings and the Cleveland Guardians beat the Milwaukee Brewers 4-2 on Thursday.

David Fry and Kyle Manzardo also homered for the Guardians, who lost the first two games of the series.

Messick (7-3) held the Brewers to two runs and four hits while striking out nine in his 96-pitch outing. Cade Smith got four outs for his 24th save in 26 opportunities.

Cleveland Guardians' Travis Bazzana reacts to hitting a home run during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Thursday, June 18, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)

Bazzana’s towering home run off Grant Anderson (1-3) in the seventh gave the Guardians a 3-2 lead. Cleveland tacked on a run in the inning on Drew Rom’s bases-loaded wild pitch.

The Brewers loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh, but Colin Holderman retired Andrew Vaughn, who worked a full count, to end the inning on a grounder. Milwaukee loaded the bases again in the eighth with two outs before Smith struck out Christian Yelich.

Gary Sánchez’s run-scoring single off Messick gave the Brewers a 1-0 lead in the second. The Brewers had a chance for more with two on when right fielder Kahlil Watson, making his major league debut, made a diving catch to end the inning.

Fry’s fourth home run of the season tied it at 1 in the third.

The Brewers took the lead in the fourth when Sánchez walked, moved to third on Blake Perkins’ double and scored on Cooper Pratt’s sacrifice fly.

The Guardians pulled even again in the sixth on Manzardo’s homer off Joel Kuhnel.

Shane Drohan, making his fifth start, gave up three hits and one run in five innings. He struck out three and walked three.