How the Cleveland Guardians Won the Series Against the Los Angeles Dodgers

This isn't an April Fools joke.

It's real.

The Cleveland Guardians defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday, April 1, to take two of three games in the teams’ second series of the 2026 MLB season. They won, 4-1, with runs scored in the third and eighth innings.

In Wednesday's win, the Guardians looked to be on top of their game, with multiple players contributing offensively while strong pitching anchored the performance. Starting pitcher Gavin Williams, who looked rocky in his season debut against the Seattle Mariners, put any doubts to rest by pitching seven innings, striking out 10 and allowing just five baserunners.

The bats also looked sharp, as Cleveland finished with six total hits. Two players were able to smack home runs, including Gabriel Arias, who has struggled for most of the 2026 campaign.

With several areas of the team’s performance trending upward, the momentum is shifting in the right direction as they return home for a three-game series against the Chicago Cubs. The Guardians will host their home opener on Friday, April 3, at 4:10 p.m. EST.

Here are some of the biggest takeaways from the Guardians' win on Wednesday:

Gavin Williams Looked Elite

Williams may have downplayed the fact that he has the potential to be the Guardians' ace before the season, but after Wednesday night, it is going to be hard to argue he isn't the man for the job.

He allowed just two hits and three walks while striking out 10 batters, including Shohei Ohtani. He also induced Ohtani into a double play with two runners on and no outs, a pivotal moment that halted any potential Dodgers comeback. Plays like that don’t always show up in the stat sheet, but they highlight just how effectively Williams controls the game.

Now, on the 2026 campaign, Williams is at a 2.25 ERA across 12 innings pitched. He is also posting a 1.08 WHIP and a measly .111 batting average against.

If he can keep this up moving forward into a couple of important home series for Cleveland, the team will be in good hands to continue putting marks in the win column.

Players Stepped Up With DeLauter Out

Even with the great Chase DeLauter not playing, the Guardians were still able to find a bit of power while at the plate.

Both Arias and José Ramírez homered in Wednesday's game, helping put runs on the board for an offense that had a bit of an issue doing just that over the past couple of outings. Alongside the long balls of those two bats, Daniel Schneemann added a double for the Guardians.

The other hits in the win came from Bo Naylor, who knocked two.

As DeLauter looks to recover from a stinger he took in Tuesday's game, which was a loss 4-1, the Guardians' coaching staff can breathe a sigh of relief that a couple of other bats outside of his finally got into a groove.

José Ramírez is Still José Ramírez

Heading into Wednesday night, Ramírez still hadn't left the yard yet.

In fact, he actually had only three hits, two of which were doubles. But when the team needed a bit of insurance late in the game, he stepped up and did what he's known to do, and that's lead the Guardians to a win.

His two-run home run helped seal the deal for Cleveland.

If he can carry this confidence at the plate back home for the series against the Cubs, the Guardians will be in a good spot to continue to win games.

Many didn't expect the Guardians to even snag one game against the Dodgers, let alone take two and win the series. With the team heading back to Cleveland with a series win and a positive record, everything is looking up for a team many wrote off before the year even began.