MINNEAPOLIS – Matt Wallner hit the game-winning three-run home run for the Minnesota Twins in the fifth inning of Game 2, spoiling Cleveland starter Alex Cobb’s season debut and enabling a 6-3 victory and a doubleheader sweep on Friday that handed the Guardians their seventh straight loss and kept the race for the AL Central in tight.
Bailey Ober pitched six scoreless innings and Carlos Santana and Ryan Jeffers hit solo home runs to win the opening game 4-2 for the surging Twins (65-50), who narrowed their deficit to 1½ games over the Guardians (67-49).
Defending division champion Minnesota has not come this close to Cleveland since May 13, when Cleveland held the top spot for all but seven days in April.
Cobb (0-1), acquired in a July 30 trade with San Francisco for junior players, allowed three consecutive hits with two outs in the fifth inning after Josh Naylor’s three-run home run gave the Guardians a 3-2 lead early in the inning.
Wallner’s 107-mph blast to right field, his fourth home run in the last 10 games, was the first home run in a 3-0 count for the Twins this season and the final pitch for Cobb. The 36-year-old underwent hip surgery during the offseason after making his first All-Star game for the Giants last year.
The Guardians, who hadn’t lost more than three games in a row all season until that losing streak began last weekend, went hitless against relievers Cole Sands (6-1), Caleb Thielbar and Trevor Richards after allowing eight hits and three runs to Twins starter Louie Varland in 4 2/3 innings.
Richards recorded his first save after Jhoan Duran earned his 16th save with a ninth-inning strikeout in the opening game.
The Guardians, who lost their second doubleheader in three days, let things slide a little in the second game. Willi Castro scored on a delayed home steal in the first inning after Wallner sprinted to second base on a walk by Royce Lewis and forced catcher Austin Hedges to throw. Then Castro ran home and the throw to the plate came too late.
Twins backup catcher Christian Vázquez rushed home from second base after a throwing error by shortstop Brayan Rocchio on an infield single that skipped over Naylor at first base.
Vázquez later scored on a balk by reliever Tim Herrin after dancing down third base to distract him. Herrin didn’t believe he did it and stormed toward home plate umpire Jim Wolf to scream out his disgust. Rookie manager Stephen Vogt came out to protect his pitcher and voice his opinion, earning him the first ejection of his career.
UPPER IS LIGHT OUT
Ober (12-5) has emerged as a true ace for the Twins at just the right time after they benched their starting pitcher Joe Ryan before the game with a shoulder injury, putting his availability for the rest of the regular season in question.
“It’s tough when a player is out, especially with their performance so far,” Ober said. “We feel for them. We hope they get as healthy as possible. We’re just going to try to go out and play our baseball.”
The 6-foot-10 right-hander, in his fourth year in the major leagues, dominated against a lineup that included eight left-handers, allowing just two hits and two walks, and a career-high nine strikeouts in 106 pitches. Ober made his ninth consecutive quality start with three or fewer runs allowed and six or more innings completed, and kept the Guardians guessing – late with his fastball and ahead with his changeup.
“I think we could have done better today, I really do, but at the same time he was in top form,” said Vogt. “He threw us off balance.”
Joey Cantillo (0-2), the 27th player recalled from Triple-A for the doubleheader, allowed three runs on five hits and three walks in 5 2/3 innings in his third major league start for the Guardians.
Rocchio’s two-run home run in the seventh inning against Jorge Alcala brought the Guardians within 3-2, but Griffin Jax and Duran finished strong out of the bullpen for the Twins.
Next
Guardians RHP Gavin Williams (1-4, 4.91 ERA) starts Saturday night. RHP Simeon Woods Richardson (3-2, 3.87 ERA) pitches for the Twins.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB
