Cleveland Guardians clinch AL Central title when Royals lose to Giants

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Forget about the final score. For the Cleveland Guardians, it was time to celebrate again.

Cleveland clinched its second AL Central championship in three years Saturday when second-place Kansas City lost at home — yet another impressive accomplishment for rookie manager Stephen Vogt.

So despite a 6-5 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals hours later, the Guardians broke out the bubbly and booze for another clubhouse party.

“I keep saying, this is about the players,” said Vogt, who puffed on a victory cigar. “Of course, being the manager, you're the one bringing everybody together and keeping the focus going in the right direction — but the players drive it. This is who they are.

"We took a lot of time getting to know who they are, getting to watch our team, seeing how we come together and watching intently. It's just using their skills and what they do really well to put them in positions to succeed. I do take a lot of pride because I love those guys.”

Cleveland wrapped up the division title when the Royals lost 9-0 to San Francisco. José Ramírez and the Guardians had already secured a postseason berth, and they celebrated Thursday at home after locking up at least an American League wild card with a 3-2 win over Minnesota.

“Our goal is always to try to find ways to get to days like today because we want to win a World Series,” Guardians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said. “The only way you win the World Series is to pop champagne to get there. We’ve made some difficult decisions along the way, but all of those decisions are aligned with us trying to find a way to get to the postseason and win.”

It’s the fifth division crown for the franchise since 2016. Cleveland is going back to the playoffs for the first time since losing a 2022 AL Division Series to the New York Yankees in five games.

“I remember ‘22 like it was yesterday,” Guardians outfielder Steven Kwan said. “I thought I was going to be prepared for what it was, but a packed house at Progressive, it’s just different. I'm really excited for what's about to come up.”

Cleveland entered Saturday needing a win at St. Louis or a Kansas City defeat to wrap up the AL Central race. Even before the Guardians got deep into their night game against the Cardinals, the Royals lost at home in a late-afternoon start.

Kansas City came from 10 games back on June 25 to tie the Guardians atop the division with a 6-1 victory in Cleveland on Aug. 27. But the Guardians rallied for a 7-5 win the following day to avert a four-game sweep.

That started a seven-game skid for the Royals, and the Guardians pulled away in September.

“You can kind of understand the dynamics of it going into it, but we have no choice but to just understand we have to win every single day,” Kwan said about what he learned from Aug. 27. “162 games, you know? It's going to be a lot of games, a lot of ebbs and flows.”

It is Cleveland’s 12th division crown, all coming in the AL Central since 1995.

“The resilience that the group has showed throughout the year, how much they care about each other, the way they played till the last out,” Antonetti said of what stood out about this team compared to others since he joined the Cleveland organization in 1999.

“It’s a group of guys around them. They love being around each other. They love picking each other up and supporting them. Everyone’s here just trying to figure out a way to help us win a baseball game, and that’s all they care about. That’s all they’ve cared about from day one.”

Cleveland is in a nip-and-tuck race with the AL East-leading Yankees for the top seed in the American League playoffs. But the Guardians are close to nailing down at least the No. 2 seed and a first-round bye.

Cleveland went 76-86 last year in Terry Francona’s final season as manager. Vogt, a former All-Star catcher, was hired in November despite having no managerial experience.

Sure looks like a smart call at the moment.

“He’s embraced learning from day one," Antonetti said. "He obviously came into the job with a great set of skills and personal attributes and experiences, but he has leaned into the job and trying to learn and get better every single day. He started off great, and he’s only built on that from there.”

Vogt is the fifth Cleveland manager to win at least 90 games in his first full season in charge, joining Francona in 2013, Charlie Manuel in 2000, Al Lopez in 1951 and Tris Speaker in 1920.

Under the 39-year-old Vogt, Cleveland got off to a surprising start. It had a nine-game lead in the AL Central and a 51-26 record after it beat Baltimore 10-8 on June 25.

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Cleveland Guardians manager Stephen Vogt celebrates in the clubhouse following a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals and winning the American League Central Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Cleveland Guardians manager Stephen Vogt celebrates with his team in the clubhouse following a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals and winning the American League Central Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Members of the Cleveland Guardians pose for a group photo after winning the American League Central following a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Cleveland Guardians manager Stephen Vogt celebrates in the clubhouse following a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals and winning the American League Central Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Cleveland Guardians manager Stephen Vogt celebrates in the clubhouse following a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals and winning the American League Central Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Members of the Cleveland Guardians celebrate winning the American League Central following a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Members of the Cleveland Guardians celebrate winning the American League Central following a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Cleveland Guardians' Jose Ramirez celebrates with teammates in the clubhouse after winning the American League Central following a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Cleveland Guardians manager Stephen Vogt celebrates winning the American League Central with his team in the clubhouse following a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Cleveland Guardians relief pitcher Erik Sabrowski, right, and catcher Bo Naylor celebrate a 5-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals in a baseball game Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Cleveland Guardians' Andres Gimenez singles during the second inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

TOKYO (AP) — Rescue workers searched for at least six people missing Sunday after heavy rain pounded Japan’s northcentral region of Noto, triggering landslides and floods and leaving one person dead in a region still recovering from a deadly Jan. 1 earthquake.

The Japan Meteorological Agency on Saturday issued the highest alert level for heavy rain across several cities in the Ishikawa prefecture, including hard-hit cities Suzu and Wajima on the northern coast of the Noto peninsula.

The agency has since downgraded the heavy rain alert, and kept landslide and flooding warnings in place.

In Suzu, one person died and another was missing after being swept in floodwaters. Another went missing in the nearby town of Noto, according to the prefecture.

In Wajima, rescue workers were searching for four people missing following a landslide at a construction site. They were among 60 construction workers repairing a tunnel damaged by January's quake.

The FDMA said another person was missing due to floods at a different location in the city.

NHK footage at a coastal area of Wajima showed a wooden house torn and tilted after it was apparently hit by a landslide. No injuries were reported from the site.

In Noto town, two people were seriously injured by a landslide while visiting their quake-damaged home.

At least 16 rivers in Ishikawa breached their banks as of Saturday afternoon, according to the Land and Infrastructure Ministry. Residents were urged to use maximum caution against possible mudslides and building damage.

By late afternoon Saturday, about 1,350 residents were taking shelter at designated community centers, school gymnasiums and other town facilities, authorities said.

About 50 centimeters (20 inches) of rain has fallen in the region over the last three days, due to the rainbands that cause torrential rain above the Hokuriku region, JMA said.

“Heavy rain is hitting the region that had been badly damaged by the Noto earthquake, and I believe many people are feeling very uneasy," said Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi.

Hayashi said the government “puts people's lives first” and its priority was search and rescue operations. He also called on the residents to pay close attention to the latest weather and evacuation advisories and take precautions early, adding that the Self Defense Force troops have been dispatched to Ishikawa to join rescue efforts.

A resident in Wajima told NHK that he has just finished cleaning his house from the quake damage and it was depressing to now see it flooded by muddy water.

A number of roads flooded by muddy water were also blocked. Hokuriku Electric Power Co. said more than 5,000 homes were still without power Sunday. Traffic lights were out in the affected areas. Many homes were also without water supply.

Heavy rain also fell in nearby northern prefectures of Niigata and Yamagata, threatening flooding and other damages and suspending train operations, including the Yamagata Shinkansen bullet trains, officials said.

A 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck the region on Jan. 1, killing more than 370 people and damaging roads and other key infrastructure. Its aftermath still affects the local industry, economy and daily lives.

This aerial photo shows the flooded Kawarada river and submerged area after heavy rain in Wajima, Ishikawa prefecture, Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. (Kyodo News via AP)

In this aerial photo, the car park of a municipal office is seen under water, after heavy rain in Wajima, Ishikawa prefecture, Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. (Kyodo News via AP)

A car is blocked by rocks covering a road, after heavy rain in Wajima, Ishikawa prefecture, Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. (Kyodo News via AP)

This aerial photo shows cars are submerged after heavy rain in Wajima, Ishikawa prefecture, Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. (Kyodo News via AP)

A car is blocked by rocks covering a road, after heavy rain in Wajima, Ishikawa prefecture, Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. (Kyodo News via AP)

This aerial photo shows the flooded area after heavy rain in Wajima, Ishikawa prefecture, Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. (Kyodo News via AP)

This aerial photo shows the flooded area after heavy rain in Wajima, Ishikawa prefecture, Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. (Kyodo News via AP)

A road is flooded after heavy rain in Wajima, Ishikawa prefecture, Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. (Kyodo News via AP)