Jose Ramirez came back, and the Cleveland Guardians still couldn’t stop the Minnesota Twins from taking control Wednesday night at Progressive Field.
Minnesota beat Cleveland 10-6, handing the Guardians a loss after they had won the first two games of the series on Monday and Tuesday. The defeat dropped Cleveland to 54-49, even with Ramirez returning from his hamate bone injury and turning in a productive night at the plate.
The Guardians got an early jolt when Brayan Rocchio singled in Ramirez to tie the game after Trevor Larnach opened the scoring with a leadoff homer against Slade Cecconi. Cleveland then pushed in front 3-1 in the second inning. Patrick Bailey lined an RBI single that brought home Kyle Manzardo, and Ramirez followed with a single that scored Bailey.
But the lead didn’t last.
Minnesota answered in the third, with Brooks Lee singling in Alex Jackson and Josh Bell bringing in Trevor Larnach on a fielder’s choice to pull the Twins even. The decisive stretch came in the fourth, when the Twins kept stacking runs against Cecconi. Alex Jackson singled home Alan Roden to put Minnesota ahead, and then Lee delivered the knockout blow with a three-run homer that made it 7-3.
Cecconi was charged with seven runs in 4.2 innings, giving up seven hits and three walks while striking out five. His ERA climbed to 4.60, and his record fell to 4-7.
Cleveland chipped back once more in the fourth when Ramirez drove in Petey Halpin on a fielder’s choice to trim the deficit to 7-4, but that was as close as it got. The game settled down until the eighth, when Minnesota added three more runs against Matt Festa.
Two came on Larnach’s two-run single, and Bell added another RBI hit to stretch the lead to 10-4. Only one of those runs was earned.
Manzardo gave the Guardians a little more life in the bottom of the eighth with his 11th homer of the season. He wasn’t done there, either, adding an RBI single in the ninth to close the gap to 10-6, but the comeback never fully materialized.
Steven Kwan finished with three hits at the top of Cleveland’s order, while Manzardo put together a double, a homer and a single. Ramirez went 2-for-5 with a run and two RBI in his return.
The series wraps up Thursday at 1:10 pm ET, with Taj Bradley set to face Gavin Williams.
In Other News...
This Guardians Trade Idea Feels Like Exactly What Cleveland Needs
With the trade deadline approaching, Cleveland has been linked to the kind of move that would add some real flexibility to a roster still looking for a little more punch. The front office has already signaled that it wants to improve the club, and the fact that the Guardians and Giants have dealt with each other earlier this season only adds another layer to the possibility of another match between two teams that know each other a bit better than most.
What makes this idea stand out is the blend of offense and versatility on the table. The player in question is in the middle of his best season yet, and he has given San Francisco a useful bat while covering multiple spots around the diamond, including second base, third base, shortstop, first base and left field. For a Cleveland team that could use more balance and more options, that sort of profile is exactly the kind of fit that tends to make sense right up until the moment a deadline deal either comes together or slips away. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians May Finally Have One Last Chance To Cash In On Bo Naylor
Bo Naylors path in Cleveland has narrowed in a hurry. The Guardians have cut back his role, brought Patrick Bailey into the picture, and made it harder to see where Naylor fits long term, even as he has kept working in Triple-A with a respectable offensive showing since the demotion.
That has made him a name worth watching as the trade deadline approaches, especially with several clubs already taking a look. Cleveland may have one last window to turn Naylor into value, and Cooper Ingles rising trade appeal only adds another layer to what could become a broader roster shuffle. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians May Have Found Another Internal Pitching Answer
The Guardians player-development machine keeps turning out arms, and the latest name to watch is a right-hander who has moved quickly from the lower levels into the upper minors. Cleveland has long leaned on its ability to grow pitching internally, and this season has only reinforced that reputation as another prospect has put himself on the radar with a strong run in the system.
After climbing from High-A to Double-A and then on to Triple-A Columbus in short order, the pitcher has paired that rise with steady production, including a 2.61 ERA in 15 starts. The bigger question now is how Cleveland chooses to use him next, since a move to the bullpen could give the club another option for the stretch run and potentially help ease pressure before the trade deadline. [Read more 🡒]