CLEVELAND (Interstat) — In a wild, back-and-forth regular season finale that defied statistical projections, the Cleveland Guardians capped their 2025 campaign with a dramatic 9-8 walk-off victory over the Texas Rangers in 10 innings Sunday evening at Progressive Field.

The game, which stretched from the afternoon into the afternoon and lasted 3 hours and 15 minutes, saw the Guardians erase a three-run deficit in the bottom of the 10th, capped by a three-run, walk-off home run from Brayan Rocchio to seal the victory before a crowd of 31,054.

The win gave Cleveland an 88-74 final record, while the Rangers finished at .500 with 81 wins and 81 losses. The combined 17 runs sailed over the pregame over/under line of 8, a prediction that was shattered by the late-inning offensive explosion.

Texas appeared to have secured the victory in the top of the 10th. With Josh Jung on third as the automatic runner, Adolis García singled to left to put runners on the corners. Pinch-hitter Rowdy Tellez then launched a three-run homer to right field off Guardians reliever Zak Kent, giving the Rangers an 8-5 lead and seemingly silencing the home crowd.

The Guardians, however, mounted an immediate and stunning rebuttal in their half of the inning against Texas reliever Jose Corniell. George Valera, the automatic runner, scored on a double by Bo Naylor to cut the lead to 8-6. After Petey Halpin walked, Rocchio stepped to the plate. On a 1-1 pitch, Rocchio connected, sending a fly ball over the right-field wall for a three-run, game-ending homer, his fifth of the season, to trigger a celebration at home plate.

The game-winning blast made a winner of Kent, who improved to 1-0 despite surrendering Tellez’s homer. Corniell was charged with the loss, falling to 0-1 after failing to record an out in the 10th.

The contest began as a back-and-forth affair. Cleveland struck first in the opening inning against Rangers starter Patrick Corbin. Steven Kwan walked, Angel Martínez was hit by a pitch, and both runners scored on a line-drive single to right field by Johnathan Rodríguez.

Texas responded in the second inning. Ezequiel Duran doubled and, after a fielder’s choice and a hit-by-pitch, Alejandro Osuna delivered a two-run double to left field to tie the game.

The Rangers took the lead in the third. Cody Freeman and Josh Jung hit back-to-back singles, and Jake Burger drove them both in with a line-drive single to right, putting Texas ahead 4-2.

Cleveland chipped away in the bottom of the third. Martínez and José Ramírez singled, and after a walk loaded the bases, Bo Naylor lifted a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Martínez to make it 4-3.

Texas added an unearned run in the sixth to extend its lead. Billy McKinney reached on a throwing error by shortstop Gabriel Arias, advanced to third on a groundout, and scored on a sacrifice bunt by Michael Helman.

The Guardians began their methodical comeback in the seventh when Jhonkensy Noel launched a solo home run to center field, his sixth of the year, cutting the deficit to 5-4.

Cleveland tied the game in the eighth. Naylor and pinch-hitter Kyle Manzardo hit back-to-back doubles, and Rocchio brought Naylor home with a sacrifice fly to right field, knotting the score at 5-5 and setting the stage for the extra-inning theatrics.

The late offensive outburst overshadowed strong work from both bullpens for much of the game. For Cleveland, Matt Festa and Kolby Allard each provided 1.2 innings of scoreless, hitless relief. For Texas, Danny Coulombe pitched a perfect inning of relief, and Hoby Milner allowed one run over 1.1 innings.

The game concluded a three-game series in which the home team won each contest, with Cleveland taking two of three. It also served as a dramatic conclusion to the season for both clubs, with the Guardians finishing 14 games over .500 and the Rangers ending their year at an even .500 mark.