CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Guardians were saved by an Angel on gloomy Wednesday afternoon at Progressive Field.

Angel Martinez, the smiling switch-hitting jack-of-all-trades, hit a three-run homer with one out in the eighth inning to give the Guardians a 7-4 win over the Dodgers and end a three-game losing streak.

The Guardians seemed destined for their fourth straight loss, and a three-game sweep by Los Angeles, through the first seven innings. They entered the eighth trailing 4-2.

But Jhonkensy Noel and Will Wilson opened the inning with infield singles off Tanner Scott. Daniel Schneemann drew a walk to load the bases before Austin Hedges struck out.

Nolan Jones, who had entered the game in the fourth to replace left fielder Steven Kwan (sore right wrist), singled to left to score Noel and Wilson and tie the score at 4-4. For Jones it was his third straight hit of the game.

Alex Vesia relieved and Martinez sent his 2-0 pitch into the left field bleachers for a 7-4 lead. It was Martinez’s third homer of the season and second hit of the game.

“I just tried to take it as a regular at-bat,” said Martinez, through interpreter/coach Agustin Rivero. “I try to give the same importance to all of them. My mindset is always, put yourself in the position where you can help the team. I was lucky we got the result we did.”

Jones has struggled through the first two months of the season. When he replaced Kwan, he was hitting .179 (22 for 126) and in a 1 for 15 skid.

“They told me, ‘Hey, are you go to go right now?’ Kwan is a little banged up,’” said Jones. “I said yes. I was a quick start for me, but it worked out.”

The win went to Matt Festa (1-0), while Scott (0-1) took the loss. Emmanuel Clase pitched the ninth for his 11th save.

“That was a team win today,” said manager Stephen Vogt. “Jonesie off the bench with three hits, just different guys coming through.

“The bullpen was outstanding. Kolby Allard giving us four great innings. I think it speaks to the resilience of our group.”

The Guardians took their first lead of the series as Martinez singled and Jose Ramirez brought him home with a single for a 1-0 lead in the first inning off lefty Clayton Kershaw.

Ramirez was originally called safe for a double, but the Dodgers challenged the safe call at second. It was overturned for the second out of the inning.

Ramirez, however, was credited with a single that extended his career-high hitting streak to 21 games and his career high on-base streak to 25 games.

Ramirez went 3 for 5 and is hitting .318 (64 for 201) for the season. In the streak, he’s hitting .393 (33 for 84) with eight doubles, one triple, four homers and 12 RBI.

The Guardians had chances to extend their lead against Kershaw, 37, but the three-time Cy Young winner stopped them at every turn.

“Kershaw got on a little bit of roll there,” said Jones.

Will Wilson opened the second with a double, but Schneemann popped up a bunt attempt and Kershaw retired Hedges and Kwan.

Ramirez and Carlos Santana hit consecutive one-out singles in the third, but Gabriel Arias bounced into a double play. Kershaw retired six of the next seven batters he faced to end his third start of the season since coming off the injured list on May 17.

The Guardians’ lack of early offense took the edge off a good emergency start by lefty Kolby Allard. He held the Dodgers scoreless through the first three innings, retiring Shohei Ohtani twice in the process. Ohtani homered in his first two games in the series.

The Dodgers do a lot of things well. In the fourth they took a 2-1 lead by doing one of those things — hitting with runners in scoring position.

Teoscar Hernandez doubled with one out in the fourth. Allard retired Freddie Freeman, but Will Smith doubled to tie the score at 1-1. Andy Pages followed with a single to right to score Smith for a 2-1 lead.

In the sixth, they stretched the lead to 3-1. Cade Smith walked Mookie Betts to start the inning. He struck out Hernandez, but wild pitched Betts to second. As if on cue, Freeman followed with a single to right to score Betts.

It’s why the Dodgers lead the big leagues with .312 (143 for 455) batting average with runners in scoring position.

Allard allowed two runs on four hits in four innings. He struck out three and didn’t walk a batter.

“I didn’t have butterflies,” said Allard. “Everything I’ve been through over the last seven or eight years has set me up for moments like this.

“I felt I was pretty calm, cool and collected. I was just trying to put up as many zeroes as I could today.”

Next

The Guardians are off Thursday before the Angels come to Progressive Field for a three-game series starting Friday night. RHP Luis Ortiz (2-5, 4.73) will start Friday night for the Guardians, while RHP Jose Soriano (3-5, 3.73) is scheduled to start for the Angels. CLEGuardians.TV, WTAM/1100, WMMS 100.7 FM, WARF and the Guardians radio network will carry the game.