CLEVELAND (Interstat) — Andrew Abbott pitched five innings of one-run ball and Matt McLain homered and drove in three runs as the Cincinnati Reds defeated the Cleveland Guardians 7-6 on Friday at Progressive Field. The Reds improved to 24-21, the Guardians fell to 24-22.

Cincinnati scored two runs in the second on a walk, a hit and a sacrifice fly, then added a run in the fifth on Elly De La Cruz’s double. The Reds broke it open with three runs in the eighth, highlighted by McLain’s two-run homer that scored Spencer Steer. Cleveland answered with four runs in the bottom of the eighth, trimming the lead to 6-5 on a sacrifice fly by José Ramírez. Cincinnati added an insurance run in the ninth on a forceout, and the Guardians scored once in the ninth on a groundout but could not complete the comeback.

Abbott (3-2) allowed four hits and struck out two. Tanner Bibee (0-6) took the loss, allowing three earned runs over 6 2/3 innings. Tejay Antone earned his first save. JJ Bleday went 3-for-5 with an RBI for Cincinnati, and Ramírez went 3-for-4 with an RBI for Cleveland. Attendance was 27,903. Time of game was 3 hours.