MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Oscar Gonzalez tied the game with a two-run single and scored on Owen Miller’s go-ahead sacrifice fly as the Cleveland Guardians rallied for four runs in the ninth inning to stun the Minnesota Twins 11-10 on Wednesday night.
Gonzalez homered earlier and finished with four RBIs for the surging Guardians, who have won the first two in a three-game series to take a one-game lead over Minnesota atop the AL Central. The teams also meet five times in four days next week in Cleveland.
“Crazy, crazy game,” Guardians manager Terry Francona said.
Carlos Correa hit two home runs for the Twins, who have lost four of five and are 8-11 in June. Max Kepler and Gio Urshela also went deep for Minnesota.
Sam Hentges (1-0) tossed a scoreless eighth and Emmanuel Clase earned his 17th save with a 1-2-3 ninth for Cleveland, which has won 11 of 13 and is 17-4 since May 30. The young Guardians also won their seventh straight series.
Clase has six saves as the Guardians have started 7-1 on their nine-game road trip.
“I feel we’re a special team,” shortstop Amed Rosario said through a translator.
With the Guardians down by three, Rosario and José Ramírez singled to start the ninth before an RBI double by Josh Naylor off Emilio Pagan made it 10-8.
Francona said had it been Byron Buxton in center field, not Gilberto Celestino, the ball probably would have been caught.
“(Buxton) was wanting to play, but he couldn’t move around well enough to play today,” said Twins manager Rocco Baldelli, referencing a sore knee.
Gonzalez came through with a two-run single off Griffin Jax and reached second on the throw. Gonzalez moved to third on Andrés Giménez’s sacrifice before Miller lofted a fly ball to left-center with plenty of distance as Cleveland completed its latest thrilling…
Leave a Reply