Guardians score vs. Royals. Cleveland rests starters in regular-season finale

Vinnie Pasquantino 's second solo home run of the day broke an eighth-inning tie and sent the Kansas City Royals to a 3-2 victory over the visiting Cleveland Guardians on Sunday, Sept. 27.

Daniel Schneemann and Jo Adell each homered and had two hits apiece for the Guardians (85-77), who rested key regulars Steven Kwan , Jose Ramirez and Brayan Rocchio one day after securing their third consecutive American League Central title.

With Cleveland's Austin Peterson (0-1) pitching in his fifth inning of his second major league game, Pasquantino led off the eighth by sending a 2-2 sinker well into the right field seats.

Best photos from Cleveland Guardians vs. Kansas City Royals series

Pasquantino also homered off Peterson in the fifth, and Jac Caglianone and Kyle Isbel each had two hits for the Royals (69-94), who ended a disappointing 2026 season by avoiding a sweep and winning for just the seventh time in the final 25 games.

Kansas City starter Daniel Lynch IV allowed seven hits in two runs over a season-high 5⅓ innings.

Lucas Erceg yielded one hit in the ninth and earned his 13th save of the season.

All-Star rookie starter Parker Messick gave up six hits and a walk in three innings, but only one run, for Cleveland, which earned a bye into the AL Division Series.

This was just the second loss in the final 11 games for the Guardians.

The Royals wasted no time getting to Messick. Maikel Garcia opened the bottom of the first inning with a walk, advanced to third on Caglianone's one-out double, then scored on Salvador Perez 's single to left field.

Cleveland tied the score in the third when Schneemann went deep over the right field fence in his first at-bat of the series.

Cleveland Guardians photo of the day: Best images from each 2026 game

Pasquantino cleared the center field wall in the fifth for a 2-1 Kansas City edge.

Adell tied it in the sixth with a one-out drive into the left-center-field fountains.

Nate Pearson (3-4) pitched a scoreless two-thirds of an inning for the Royals, who went 41-40 at home.

The Akron Beacon Journal sports department can be contacted via email at bjsports@thebeaconjournal.com.