Guardians win 14 inning marathon as Birdman walks off Astros
![Houston Astros v Cleveland Guardians](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_8256,h_4644,x_0,y_495/c_fill,w_752,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/GettyImages/mmsport/5/01h2jsem3d0081s8p5n5.jpg)
Ladies and gentlemen, the Guardiac Kids may be all the way back. There is just something about the way the Guardians were able to come back time and time again Friday night against the Houston Astros. It did not matter who was on the mound, who was at the plate, or what the score was, this team was ready to rise to the occasion like they did so many times last year.
Trailing 4-0 early and later 5-1, this game appeared to be going Houston's way and only their way. And just when everyone was ready to count this Guardians team out, they sprung into action. Suddenly that four-run deficit was completely erased as yet another home run off the bat off Jose Ramirez (his fourth in two days), tied the game at five.
The two teams would continue to trade runs until the Guardians decide that 14 innings was enough baseball for today. A leadoff RBI double from Tyler Freeman would tie the game at nine, giving Cleveland another opportunity to walk it off. And this time it would not be squandered.
It was the red hot bat of Birdman Will Brennan who came up to the plate and delivered, driving a one-out double to left allowing Freeman to score and the Guardians to (finally) win the game.
Will Brennan wins it for the @CleGuardians in a 14-inning instant classic!
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) June 10, 2023
NTT #BallparkCam | #ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/iyNKIyLfJe
There is something to be said about countering the Astros run-scoring four times in the ninth inning or later. When things were not looking like they were going to go Cleveland's way, time and time again this team answered. This is that Guardiac Kids magic that helped propel them to a division title and playoff appearance last season. If this is a sign of things to come the rest of the division better watch out. The Guardians disposed of the Red Sox earlier this week and are currently one win away from winning their series against the Astros. Both of these teams are superior in every way to the rest of the American League Central and if Cleveland is able to take care of business against this caliber of team, does the rest of the division really stand a chance? Time will tell, but it seems like the Guardians of last year are back and ready to wreak havoc on the rest of the league.