WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Interstat) — Colby Thomas, Zack Gelof and Tyler Soderstrom each homered, Aaron Civale pitched six solid innings and the Athletics beat the Cleveland Guardians 7-1 on Sunday evening at Sutter Health Park to avoid a three-game sweep.

The victory moved to 18-16, while Cleveland slipped to 18-17. The Guardians had taken the first two games of the series by scores of 8-5 and 14-6, but the Athletics struck back with a balanced offensive attack and strong pitching.

Thomas opened the scoring in the second inning, leading off with his first home run of the season, a fly ball to left-center field off Guardians rookie left-hander Parker Messick. The 1-0 lead held until the fifth, when Cleveland’s Chase DeLauter tied the game with a solo home run to left field, his sixth of the season and first since April 3. The blast extended DeLauter’s hitting streak to eight games and gave the Guardians a brief jolt. DeLauter finished 2 for 4 with a run and an RBI, going 8 for 11 in the series.

But the Athletics answered immediately in the bottom of the fifth. Gelof led off with a homer to left field, his second of the season, to regain the lead. Soderstrom followed with a solo shot to right-center, his fourth home run, making it 3-1. After a lineout and a single by Darell Hernaiz that was deflected by shortstop Brayan Rocchio, Jeff McNeil singled to put runners at first and second. Jacob Wilson grounded into a force out that put runners at the corners, and Brent Rooker followed with a run-scoring single to push the lead to 4-1.

Cleveland threatened in the sixth, putting a runner on base with a sharp single by Travis Bazzana, but Civale induced three flyouts to end the inning.

The Athletics broke the game open in the bottom of the sixth against reliever Colin Holderman. With one out, Gelof walked, Soderstrom singled, and Austin Wynns walked to load the bases. After Darell Hernaiz flied out, McNeil delivered the decisive blow, a bases-clearing double to right field that scored all three runners and stretched the lead to 7-1. McNeil finished 2 for 4 with three RBIs.

Civale (3-1) allowed seven hits and one earned run over six innings, striking out three without issuing a walk. He rebounded from a loss to Kansas City on April 28 in which he pitched five innings with no earned runs but took the loss, and a no-decision at Seattle on April 22. Justin Sterner, Joel Kuhnel and Mark Leiter Jr. each pitched a scoreless inning to close out the game.

Messick (3-1) took the loss, allowing six hits and four earned runs over five innings with six strikeouts and two walks. Holderman worked two innings of relief, surrendering three hits but no earned runs while striking out two. DeLauter’s homer was Cleveland’s only extra-base hit.

Soderstrom led all hitters with three hits in four at-bats, including his home run and two singles. Gelof had one hit and a walk. Thomas, in addition to his homer, also singled. Hernaiz had one hit and scored a run, and Rooker drove in a run with a single.

For Cleveland, DeLauter had two hits and scored the team’s only run. Kyle Manzardo singled twice, and Bazzana singled twice. Jose Ramirez singled and walked, but the Guardians could not sustain any rallies after the fifth inning.

The game drew an announced attendance of 12,194 and lasted 2 hours, 20 minutes.

Cleveland now heads to Kansas City for a four-game series beginning Monday. The Guardians will face the Royals at Kauffman Stadium, with games scheduled through Thursday. After that, they return home for a six-game homestand against Minnesota and the Los Angeles Angels.

Oakland travels to Philadelphia for a three-game series starting Tuesday against the Phillies, followed by a three-game set at Baltimore. The Athletics then return home to host St. Louis and San Francisco.

The Interstat game simulator had projected a final score of Athletics 5, Guardians 3. Interstat’s ELO system had given Cleveland a 53.40 percent probability to win. Cleveland had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus-1.5. The total score of 8 went over the over-under line of 9.