CLEVELAND (Interstat) — Gavin Williams overpowered the Baltimore lineup with a season-high 11 strikeouts over seven dominant innings, and Brayan Rocchio’s three-run homer provided the decisive swing as the Cleveland Guardians held off the Baltimore Orioles 4-2 on Saturday at Progressive Field.

A crowd of 20,783 watched Williams (3-1) command the game, allowing just one run on three hits and one walk. The right-hander pushed his major league-leading strikeout total to 40 and recorded his sixth career double-digit strikeout performance. His outing was the foundation for Cleveland’s second consecutive victory in this four-game series, improving the Guardians to 12-10. Baltimore fell to 10-11.

The game’s pivotal moment arrived in the bottom of the fifth inning, erasing Baltimore’s early lead and shifting momentum permanently to the home side. Until that point, the contest was a tense pitchers’ duel between Williams and Orioles starter Dean Kremer (0-1). Leody Taveras had provided the game’s only run with a solo homer to right field off Williams in the top of the fourth.

Kremer, who finished with seven strikeouts over six innings, had largely silenced Cleveland’s bats, allowing only one hit through the first four frames. He began the fifth by getting George Valera to ground out. But a walk to Rhys Hoskins and a sharp line-drive single to right by Daniel Schneemann put runners on the corners with one out. Kremer battled back to strike out Bo Naylor looking, bringing Rocchio to the plate with two outs.

On a 1-1 pitch, Rocchio connected, driving a fly ball deep to right field that cleared the wall for a three-run home run. The blast, Rocchio’s third of the year, instantly transformed a 1-0 deficit into a 3-1 Cleveland lead. It accounted for all of Cleveland’s offense against Kremer, who was charged with three runs on two hits.

Williams, bolstered by the new lead, only grew stronger. After Taveras’ homer, he retired 11 of the final 12 batters he faced, punctuating his afternoon by striking out the side in the seventh inning. He departed after 101 pitches, having thoroughly stifled an Orioles lineup that managed only four hits all day.

Baltimore threatened to rally in the eighth against reliever Hunter Gaddis. After Jeremiah Jackson struck out, Gunnar Henderson launched a solo home run to right field, his seventh of the season, pulling the Orioles within a run at 3-2. The Guardians answered immediately in the bottom half against Baltimore reliever Albert Suárez. Leading off the inning, Bo Naylor atoned for his earlier strikeout by crushing a solo shot of his own to right field, restoring Cleveland’s two-run cushion at 4-2.

Cleveland’s bullpen secured the win. Following Gaddis’ one inning of work, closer Cade Smith entered for the ninth and delivered a breathtaking performance. Smith needed only 15 pitches to strike out the side—fanning Dylan Beavers, Colton Cowser, and Leody Taveras in order—to lock down his fifth save of the year.

The game defied the pregame projection from Interstat, which had simulated a 5-4 Baltimore victory. While Cleveland was installed as a slight favorite with a 57.7% win probability by the ELO system, the combined six total runs fell under the over/under line of 7.5.

The victory gave Cleveland a 2-1 edge in the series after the teams split the first two games. Baltimore won 6-4 on Friday, while Cleveland took the opener 4-2 on Thursday.

Baltimore will look to earn a series split on Sunday in the finale. Cleveland aims for a series win before welcoming the Houston Astros to town for a three-game set starting Monday. The Guardians continue their homestand next week against the Tampa Bay Rays, while the Orioles embark on a road trip to face the Kansas City Royals and then return home to host the Boston Red Sox.