Matt Wallner hit a crucial three-run homer in the fifth inning of the second game, leading the Minnesota Twins to a 6-3 win and a sweep of the doubleheader on Friday. This defeat marked the Guardians’ seventh straight loss and made the AL Central race tighter.
In the first game, Bailey Ober threw six scoreless innings, while Carlos Santana and Ryan Jeffers each hit solo homers to secure a 4-2 win for the Twins, who have now closed the gap to 1½ games behind the Guardians.
Twins third baseman Royce Lewis said, “I thought we just outplayed and out-baseballed them today, if that’s a word or whatever. That’s how we played the game.”
This is the closest Minnesota has been to Cleveland in the standings since May 13. The Guardians have been in first place for all but seven days in April.
Alex Cobb (0-1), making his season debut after being traded from San Francisco, gave up three consecutive two-out hits in the fifth inning after Josh Naylor’s three-run homer had briefly put the Guardians ahead 3-2. Wallner’s 106.9 mph home run to right field, his fourth in his last 10 games, was the Twins’ first homer on a 3-0 count this season and ended Cobb’s night.
Cobb had offseason hip surgery after making his first All-Star game last year with the Giants.
Despite injuries to key players like Joe Ryan, Brooks Lee, and Brock Stewart, the Twins responded strongly. Wallner said, “Just going out and winning two shows you what we can do, even on a tough day like that.”
The Guardians, who had not lost more than three games in a row until this current streak, went hitless against Twins relievers Cole Sands, Caleb Thielbar, and Trevor Richards after getting eight hits and three runs off starter Louie Varland in 4⅔ innings.
Varland expressed his gratitude, saying, “It was a big game, and come Thanksgiving, I’m going to tell everyone I’m thankful for Matt Wallner and Cole Sands. The team had my back, and things worked out.”
Richards recorded his first career save in the second game, following Jhoan Duran’s 16th save in the opener with a perfect ninth inning.
