Tanner Bibee and his loyal bullpen friends kept the Toronto Blue Jays in check in a 5-4 win for the Cleveland Guardians on Sunday.

By winning the series, Cleveland improved its record to 20-14. The Guardians are 1½ games behind the Detroit Tigers in the American League Central Division.

Steven Kwan opened the scoring in the third inning with a fielder’s choice. Hustling to first and avoiding a double play, Kwan drove in Gabriel Arias from third base.

The Guardians pumped their lead up to 4-0 in the fourth inning off Blue Jays starter Bowden Francis (2-5).

Daniel Schneemann, the hero of Saturday’s win, doubled to score Kyle Manzardo.

Arias singled to score Carlos Santana and Schneemann.

ADVERSITY STRIKES

Toronto fired back with three runs in the bottom of the fourth. Nathan Lukes hit an RBI double, and Andres Gimenez added a two-run single.

Gimenez went 5-for-12 in the series against his former Cleveland teammates to improve his batting average to .190.

Bibee (3-2) left the game after five innings and 86 pitches. He tried to pitch the sixth but had to leave due to leg cramps.

Speaking of injuries to major players, Jose Ramirez was back in the lineup after missing Saturday’s game with a sprained ankle.

Cleveland’s bullpen took over with scoreless innings from Tim Herrin, Hunter Gaddis, and Cade Smith.

NEED SOME INSURANCE?

Carlos Santana increased the Guardians’ lead to 5-3 by drawing a walk with the bases loaded from left-hander Brendon Little in the ninth inning.

That was important because Emmanuel Clase gave up a run in the bottom of the ninth on Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s sacrifice fly. Clase finished the Blue Jays off for his seventh save.

The Guardians then traveled from the Center of the Universe to our nation’s capital to open a three-game series against the Washington Nationals tonight.

Luis Ortiz (2-3) will start for Cleveland against Jake Irvin (2-1). First pitch is set for 6:45 p.m.