For the vast majority of Monday’s game, it looked like the Cleveland Guardians would drop the series opener against the Minnesota Twins.
Started Matthew Boyd, who had been magnificent to this point, just wasn’t on his night and allowed three runs (two earned) in just 2.2 innings and Cleveland was behind for most of the game.
However, down 3-2 in the score, rookie first baseman Kyle Manzardo hit a go-ahead two run home run in the eighth frame that proved to be the difference between the two teams, as. Cleveland won 4-3.
ICYMI: Manzardo homers, Clase gets 46th save as Guardians rally past Twins 4-3 to tighten grip on Central | AP News https://t.co/ST9Dtz0obJ
— Tom Withers (@twithersAP) September 17, 2024
Then, in the ninth, the Twins had to face the single most dominant and consistent reliever in baseball: Emmanuel Clase.
Clase, in reality, gave the finishing touches to another bullpen masterpiece by the Guardians.
After Boyd couldn’t get out of the third inning, Pedro Avila, Erik Sabrowski, Eli Morgan, Andrew Walters and Clase completed the game with no further damage allowed.
That allowed the offense to slowly come back after the Twins’ three-run third inning.
Thanks to RBI singles by Andrés Giménez in the fifth and Angel Martinez in the seventh, Cleveland made it a one-run game when Manzardo was up with a runner on in the eighth.
The rookie wound up winning the game with his impressive blast.
Cleveland is now much closer to securing a postseason berth and enjoy a five-game division lead now, since the Detroit Tigers beat the Kansas City Royals on Monday.
Minnesota and Cleveland will continue their series on Tuesday, when Zebby Matthews of the Twins takes the mound to face the struggling Gavin Williams.
NEXT: Guardians Rehabbing Reliever Is Rounding Into Form But Still Fighting With Walks
