Timely hitting. Solid pitching. Lights-out bullpen. The Cleveland Guardians don’t need to deviate from this script.

They opened a three-game series with a 3-1 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night.

The Cleveland fans may not have expected a first-place team, especially when Shane Bieber got hurt, but that’s exactly what they are getting.

Logan Allen improved his record to 7-3. He only threw 84 pitches and lasted five innings before turning the game over to the well-rested Cleveland bullpen.

Five Guardians relievers each picked up a strikeout (Allen had three), and Emmanuel Clase recorded his 21st save.

JUST ENOUGH OFFENSE

Guardians manager Steven Vogt isn’t afraid to put an infielder in the outfield in order to get a hot bat into the lineup. Daniel Schneemann, patrolling center field in this game, opened the scoring in the second inning with a double to score Will Brennan.

In the fourth, Brennan increased the Guardians’ lead to 2-0 with an opposite-field home run to left field.

Andres Gimenez added another run in the fifth with a single to score Brayan Rocchio.

Toronto finally got on the board in the sixth when Davis Schneider singled to score Ernie Clement, who played for Cleveland in 2021-22.

Kansas City lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers, so the Guardians increased their lead to six games in the American League Central Division.

The series will continue on Saturday at 3:07 p.m. Carlos Carrasco (2-5) will start for Cleveland against someone … the Blue Jays haven’t decided yet.