Three Observations From Guardians Impressive 10-3 Victory Over Orioles

A dominant offensive performance paves the way in Cleveland Guardians' victory over the Baltimore Orioles.

Aug 1, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez (11) rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the seventh inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports / Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

The Cleveland Guardians took care of business in game one of a four game series against the Baltimore Orioles, 10-3.

Here are three observations and takeaways from the Guardians’ latest victory.

Ben Lively Proves Himself in Primetime Matchup

Guardians' starting pitcher Ben Lively has been phenomenal at home this season and he continued the trend Thursday night.

Lively picked up his eighth home victory in 2024 after giving up two runs on four hits in six innings of work. Since the All-Star Break, he has given up five runs in three games, while tallying 12 strikeouts.

The consistency Lively has demonstrated throughout the season has clearly earned the trust of manager Stephen Vogt. If the rest of the pitching staff follows suit, the Guardians should be able to roll with the current rotation for the remainder of the season. He's been a steadying presence for a group that hasn't had Shane Bieber since early April and hasn't gotten the production from Triston McKenzie or Gavin Williams that they expected entering the year.

Cleveland's Offense Is Firing on All Cylinders

The Guardians' offense started the month of August with a bang, racking up 11 hits and three home runs against a tough Orioles' pitching staff.

Jose Ramirez led the way on offense tonight, going 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBIs. The star third baseman is now 6-for-11 in his last three starts while riding a three-game home run streak. It's the first time he's done that since August 2021. All-star David Fry also hit a titanic home run to left field, ending a lengthy homer-less streak for Cleveland's biggest breakout star. Catcher Bo Naylor also stepped up tonight after hitting a three-run home run in bottom of the seventh.

With the addition of Lane Thomas, the Guardians have completely revamped the offense since the All-Star Break.

Lane Thomas Shines in Home Debut

After his 1-for-4 effort against the Chicago White Sox, Guardians' newly-acquired outfielder Lane Thomas thrived in his home debut with Cleveland.

The veteran bat was one of many Guardians' hitters to find success against the Orioles, going 2-for-4 with two doubles and a walk. This performance was the reason why Cleveland traded for Thomas at the deadline. His .322 batting average against left-handed pitching makes him a threat at the top of the lineup, and he proved it Thursday night against Baltimore starting pitcher Trevor Rogers.

Despite only playing two games for the Guardians, Thomas seems to have solidified himself as the 2-hole hitter moving forward. He acknowledged postgame that he likes hitting in front of Jose Ramirez and that he saw a couple of additional fastballs. Thomas put three balls in play with exit velocities exceeding 96 mph.