“Winning ugly” is a term usually associated with football, but the Cleveland Guardians are doing it with their manager’s blessing.

Stephen Vogt told radio announcer Tom Hamilton that his team’s victories won’t always be pretty. But the good news is that the Guardians have won four in a row.

They beat the Seattle Mariners 4-3 last night. Vogt also said that these are must-win games as the Guardians are trying to chase down Seattle for the final playoff spot. Cleveland trails Seattle by three games.

BIG RIG DOMINATES

Gavin Williams (9-5) seems to perform best against the top hitters in baseball. He almost threw a no-hitter at the New York Mets, and he dominated Seattle’s power-packed lineup last night.

Williams pitched seven innings and gave up one run. He walked one and struck out eight.

Cleveland couldn’t figure out Seattle starter Logan Gilbert (4-6) until the fourth inning, when Bo Naylor singled to score Jose Ramirez.

Kyle Manzardo whacked a two-run homer, his 23rd of the season, to extend Cleveland’s lead to 3-0 in the sixth inning.

THE DAM FINALLY BREAKS

Cleveland pitchers kept the Mariners off the scoreboard for 14 consecutive innings until Jorge Polanco hit his 22nd homer of the season off Williams in the seventh.

Cleveland got the run back in the bottom of the inning when Steven Kwan singled. Nolan Jones scored on a throwing error by left fielder Randy Arozarena.

Speaking of Kwan, he saved a run with an amazing diving catch of Josh Naylor’s drive to the left-field warning track in the sixth inning (see photo).

“The catch of the year!” Hamilton enthused.

Hunter Gaddis came on to pitch the eighth, but he gave up a two-run bomb to Julio Rodriguez. The Guardians’ lead was down to 4-3.

Vogt brought in Cade Smith to finish the eighth, and Smith shut down Seattle in the ninth to earn save No. 9.

BROOM TIME?

The Guardians will go for the sweep today at 1:40 p.m. at Progressive Field.

Tanner Bibee (9-10, 4.73 ERA) will start for the Guardians against Seattle’s Bryce Miller (3-5, 5.98).