The Cleveland Guardians got exactly the kind of win they needed on Friday night in Minneapolis: patient at the plate, sharp enough in the biggest spots, and good enough out of the bullpen to turn a tight game into a 5-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins at Target Field.
It wasn’t easy early. Minnesota starter Taj Bradley was cruising through six scoreless innings and had allowed only one hit, but four walks pushed his pitch count high enough to knock him out before the late innings. Once Bradley was gone, Cleveland went after the Twins’ relief corps and made the move pay.
Parker Messick kept the Guardians within reach while the offense waited for its chance. The rookie left-hander, who is a strong AL Rookie of the Year candidate, gave Cleveland 5.1 innings and allowed one run on three hits and two walks. He struck out five.
Minnesota grabbed the first lead in the second inning. Royce Lewis doubled off Messick and drove in Kody Clemens for the game’s opening run. That 1-0 edge held all the way into the seventh, when Cleveland finally broke through.
With Bradley out, Angel Martinez jumped on a left-on-left matchup with A.J. Minter and blasted a go-ahead two-run homer in the top of the seventh. The Guardians had their first lead, but it disappeared almost immediately.
In the bottom half of the inning, Kaelen Culpepper answered with an RBI single against Erik Sabrowski, scoring Austin Martin and pulling the Twins back even at 2-2.
Cleveland settled the game for good in the ninth. Travis Bazzana came home on a wild pitch to put the Guardians back in front, and Brayan Rocchio followed with a two-run double that scored Genao and Martinez to stretch the lead.
Cade Smith handled the ninth without allowing a run and locked down the win. It was a big one for Cleveland in the Wild Card chase, especially with the Toronto Blue Jays losing. The Guardians are now two games ahead in the race for the final spot.
Bazzana finished 2-for-2 with two walks and two runs scored, while Martinez homered and drove in two. Cleveland’s bullpen covered the final 3.2 innings and gave up just one run.
The Guardians and Twins are back at it Saturday at 4:10 pm ET.
In Other News...
Guardians Top Power Prospect Hits A Bad Time For A Setback
Ralphy Velazquezs late-season surge has hit a brief snag, with the Guardians power prospect sidelined since Sept. 6 because of lingering lower body soreness. Cleveland has been careful not to push him too hard after a strong showing, which makes the timing of the setback frustrating but not unexpected as the organization tries to balance development with caution.
Elsewhere on the injury front, right-hander Shawn Armstrong was scheduled for a rehab appearance, Colin Holderman got in a bullpen session and Rhys Hoskins has begun a return-to-swing program. For a club monitoring multiple recovery tracks at once, Velazquezs status is the one that most directly affects how the Guardians want to finish evaluating one of their top bats. [Read more 🡒]
Lane Thomas Is Giving Braves Fans A Familiar Guardians Headache
Lane Thomas has already created a few familiar uneasy moments for the Guardians since landing with the Braves at the deadline, even before this latest setback. Atlanta put him on the 15-day injured list with a left intercostal strain, an injury that was backdated to Tuesday after he had been scratched from a game earlier in the day. The move adds another layer to a stretch that has not gone smoothly since the deal, with Thomas still searching for consistency at the plate.
For Cleveland, the timing is notable because Thomas was exactly the kind of late-season bat the Braves hoped would change their look. Instead, the early returns have been uneven, and now the injury puts another pause on whatever momentum he was trying to build. It leaves Atlanta waiting to see when he can return and whether there is still time for the trade to pay off the way it was intended. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians May Need Daniel Schneemann In A New Late-Season Role
Daniel Schneemann has already built a reputation as one of the most movable pieces on the Guardians roster, having spent time at second base, third base, shortstop and all three outfield spots during his MLB career. Since being recalled to the majors, he has added another layer to that versatility by getting work at first base, a detail that fits neatly with the way Cleveland has leaned on flexibility all season.
Stephen Vogt has not shut the door on using Schneemann there in an emergency, and not just as a patchwork answer if the position suddenly thins out. For a club trying to squeeze value out of every roster spot late in the year, that kind of extra option can matter, especially when one more move could help a lineup stay intact without forcing the Guardians to reshuffle everything else around it. [Read more 🡒]