WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Interstat) — Slade Cecconi earned his first win of the season and Austin Hedges sparked a comeback with a solo home run as the Cleveland Guardians defeated the Athletics 14-6 on Saturday evening at Sutter Health Park.

Cleveland improved to 18-16, while the Athletics fell to 17-16. The game lasted 2 hours and 59 minutes in front of an announced crowd of 11,390.

The Guardians pounded out 14 hits, the same total as the Athletics, but Cleveland’s runs came in bunches. The visitors scored single runs in the third and sixth innings, four in the fifth, three each in the seventh and eighth, and two in the ninth. The Athletics scored two in the first, one in the fourth, fifth, sixth and eighth innings.

Cleveland’s offense was led by Hedges, who went 3-for-5 with a home run and an RBI. He also doubled and scored twice. Hedges entered the game with a .216 average but delivered in the spot. His solo homer in the third inning, his first of the season, cut the Athletics’ lead to 2-1.

The Athletics struck first in the bottom of the first. Nick Kurtz singled, and Shea Langeliers followed with a two-run homer to center field, his ninth of the year, giving the Athletics a 2-0 lead. Langeliers later added a solo homer in the fifth inning, his 10th, and finished 3-for-5 with two homers and three RBIs.

Cleveland tied the game in the fifth inning. Hedges led off with a double. After a lineout, Steven Kwan singled to score Hedges. Angel Martinez singled, and Jose Ramirez doubled to plate Kwan and Martinez. Rhys Hoskins then hit a sacrifice fly to score Ramirez, giving the Guardians a 5-3 lead. The inning included four runs on four hits.

The Athletics answered in the bottom of the fifth when Langeliers homered again, pulling the home team within 5-4. But Cleveland extended its lead in the sixth on a solo homer by David Fry, his second of the year, making it 6-4.

The Athletics cut the lead to 6-5 in the bottom of the sixth when Jeff McNeil hit a sacrifice fly to score Carlos Cortes. McNeil went 2-for-3 with two RBIs.

Cleveland broke the game open in the seventh. After a hit batter and a pair of walks, Travis Bazzana singled to drive in two runs, giving the Guardians an 8-5 lead. The inning featured three runs on two hits and two walks.

The Athletics got one run back in the bottom of the eighth on a Kurtz single that scored Cortes, making it 8-6. But Cleveland answered with three runs in the top of the ninth, highlighted by a pinch-hit three-run homer from Kyle Manzardo, his second of the season. Manzardo, who entered as a pinch hitter, drove in Brayan Rocchio and Steven Kwan to extend the lead to 11-6.

Cleveland added two more runs in the ninth. Bazzana walked, Hedges doubled, and Rocchio singled to score Bazzana. A double play later scored Hedges, making it 13-6. Angel Martinez singled but was left stranded.

The Guardians’ bullpen held the Athletics scoreless over the final 3 1/3 innings. Colin Holderman pitched 1 2/3 innings, allowing one hit and no earned runs. Tim Herrin tossed a scoreless inning with one strikeout. Matt Festa recorded two outs without allowing a hit.

Cecconi (1-4) earned the win, allowing five earned runs on nine hits over five innings. He struck out two and walked one. Athletics starter Jacob Lopez (2-2) took the loss, surrendering five earned runs on six hits over 4 2/3 innings. He struck out four and walked two.

The most important sequence of the game occurred in the top of the fifth inning. With the Guardians trailing 3-1, Hedges led off with a double, setting the stage for a four-run rally that gave Cleveland the lead for good. The inning turned the momentum entirely, as the Guardians erased a two-run deficit and never trailed again.

Hedges’ performance stood out not only for his homer but for his consistent production from the bottom of the lineup. He also threw out a baserunner, Lawrence Butler, on a pickoff attempt in the sixth inning.

For the Athletics, Langeliers provided the bulk of the offense with his two home runs. McNeil contributed with two hits and two RBIs, and Kurtz added two hits.

Cleveland pitchers combined for 12 strikeouts, 75 balls, and 12 balls in play. Athletics pitchers combined for 12 strikeouts, 40 balls, and 12 balls in play.

The win was Cleveland’s second straight in the three-game series. The Guardians took the opener 8-5 on Friday. The teams conclude the series Sunday before Cleveland travels to Kansas City for a four-game set beginning Monday. The Athletics head to Philadelphia for a three-game series starting Tuesday.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Athletics 6, Cleveland 4. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Cleveland with a 51.40 percent probability to win. The Athletics had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus 1.5. The total score of 20 went under the over/under line of 10.