ANAHEIM (Interstat) — Austin Hedges’ two-run home run in the sixth inning broke a 1-1 tie and sent the Cleveland Guardians to a 4-2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Monday night at Angel Stadium.

Right-hander Parker Messick (10-8) earned the win, allowing one run on three hits over six innings with four strikeouts and one walk. The left-hander retired 10 straight batters during one stretch and worked around trouble in the fourth after the Angels had tied the game. He was coming off a tough-luck loss to San Francisco in his previous start, when he allowed one run over 6 2/3 innings, and he responded with another quality start to help the Guardians reach the .500 mark at 66-66.

Cade Smith pitched the ninth for his 34th save, but the Angels made him work. Vaughn Grissom was hit by a pitch to open the inning, and after Moisés Ballesteros struck out, Josh Lowe singled sharply to center to put runners at first and third. Gustavo Campero lifted a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Grissom to cut the lead to 4-2. Christian Moore then flied out sharply to left fielder Steven Kwan to end the game.

Cleveland won for the fourth time in five games, completing a successful stretch that began with three straight victories at Colorado. The Guardians also improved to 3-0 against the Angels this season, having swept a three-game series in May at Progressive Field. The teams play the second game of this four-game series Tuesday night.

Los Angeles fell to 52-80, losing for the second straight night after dropping the series finale at Texas on Sunday. The Angels have now lost five of their last seven games.

The Guardians struck first in the third inning. Steven Kwan singled on a ground ball to second base that was deflected by Angels starter George Klassen, and José Ramírez followed with a sharp line-drive single to right field. Jo Adell walked to load the bases. Nathaniel Lowe then lifted a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Kwan. Ramírez, attempting to steal home on the play, was caught in a rundown between third and home and tagged out to end the inning, costing Cleveland a chance to add more.

The Angels answered in the fourth. Zach Neto singled sharply to center, and Mike Trout singled to center to put runners at first and third. Vaughn Grissom reached on a fielder’s choice, erasing Trout at third. Ballesteros then singled to center, scoring Neto and tying the game. Messick struck out Jose Siri and got Campero to pop out to first baseman Nathaniel Lowe in foul territory to limit the damage.

Cleveland regained the lead in the fifth on a defensive miscue. Brayan Rocchio reached on a fielding error by third baseman Denzer Guzman and moved to second. After Kwan and Ramírez both flied out, Adell lined a sharp single to center field, scoring Rocchio to make it 2-1.

The Guardians extended their lead in the sixth. Angel Genao walked with one out, and after Angel Martínez flied out to left, Hedges drove a 1-0 pitch from Klassen over the center-field wall for a two-run homer, his fifth of the season. The blast gave Cleveland a 4-1 advantage and chased Klassen from the game.

Klassen (2-2) took the loss, allowing two earned runs on six hits over 5 1/3 innings. He struck out three and walked two. Sammy Peralta came on in relief and retired the only two batters he faced in the sixth, then returned for a scoreless seventh inning. Peralta finished with 2 1/3 innings of one-hit relief, striking out one.

Cleveland’s bullpen took over from there. Colin Holderman pitched a scoreless seventh, striking out three, though Josh Lowe doubled on a ground ball to left for his first hit of the night. Hunter Gaddis worked the eighth, allowing a one-out single to Adam Frazier before inducing popouts from Neto and Trout. Gaddis kept the Angels off the board and handed a three-run lead to Smith in the ninth.

Josh Lowe, who entered as a pinch hitter in the seventh, finished 2 for 2 with a double and a single. He also singled in the ninth, driving home the play that set up Campero’s sacrifice fly. Lowe was the only Angels batter with multiple hits.

The Guardians had eight hits to six for the Angels. Kwan singled twice and scored a run. Ramírez singled once. Adell singled and drove in a run. Genao singled and walked. Petey Halpin singled and also walked. Hedges had the homer and two RBIs. Angel Martínez doubled in the eighth for Cleveland’s final extra-base hit.

The game took 2 hours, 33 minutes and was played before an announced crowd of 26,302 at Angel Stadium.

Cleveland’s recent surge has been fueled by its pitching staff. In their last four wins, the Guardians have allowed two runs or fewer three times. Messick continued that trend Monday, throwing 6 innings of three-hit ball. He did not allow an extra-base hit and kept the Angels off balance with a steady diet of fastballs and off-speed pitches.

The Angels, meanwhile, continue to struggle to string together consistent offense. They stranded runners in scoring position in the fourth, seventh and eighth innings. Trout walked in the sixth but was erased on a double play. Neto singled in the fourth and scored, but otherwise the top of the order could not produce against Cleveland’s relievers.

Cleveland’s defense also made key plays. Second baseman Angel Genao turned an unassisted fielder’s choice in the fourth that erased Trout at third. First baseman Nathaniel Lowe started a double play in the sixth by fielding a ground ball from Grissom and flipping to Rocchio, who relayed to first to erase the batter. That double play ended the inning and preserved Cleveland’s two-run lead at the time.

The Guardians now return home after the series concludes Thursday. They will host the Kansas City Royals over the weekend. The Angels will remain home to host the Philadelphia Phillies, followed by the New York Yankees.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Cleveland Guardians 6, Los Angeles Angels 5. Interstatl’s ELO system had projected Cleveland with a 57.30 percent probability to win. Cleveland had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -1.5. The total score of 6 went over the over/under line of 8.