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Rays shut out Guardians

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Ryan Pepiot allowed two hits in six scoreless innings, Jose Siri and Brandon Lowe homered, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the struggling AL Central-leading Cleveland Guardians 2-0 on Sunday.

Despite losing 11 of 18, the Guardians (58-37) have the AL’s best record at the All-Star break for the first time since 1999. Cleveland was outscored 6-4 in dropping two of three to the Rays.

“Tough ending to a tough road trip, but couldn’t be more proud of our guys for the first half,” Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt said.

“And we put ourselves in a great position to come out of the break. I couldn’t be more proud of the work that this group has done.”

Tampa Bay was hitless in six at-bats with runners in scoring position, and finished 1 for 33 in the series. Cleveland was 0 for 5 on Sunday and 1 for 20 overall in the series.

Pepiot struck out four. Colin Poche and Jason Adam both went one hitless inning before Pete Fairbanks worked out of a two-on, no-jam in the ninth to get 17th save in 19 chances and complete a four-hitter

“I felt like he lacked a little velo early, but then he picked the velo up, but his changeup was really good,” Vogt said of Pepiot.

Steven Kwan went 1 for 4 and is hitting .352. The Cleveland outfielder, who had two hits in 12 at-bats during the series, is the first Cleveland player to lead the majors in hitting at the All-Star break since Hall of Famer Lou Boudreau in 1947.

Kwan and Angel Martínez singled off Fairbanks to start the ninth. But the closer retired the heart of the lineup — Jose Ramirez, Josh Naylor and David Fry — to end it.

Tampa Bay enters the All-Star break at 48-48.

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