Bo Naylor’s three-run homer capped off Cleveland’s four-run seventh inning, and Luis Ortiz tossed a season-high 6 1/3 shutout innings to lead the Guardians to a 4-2 victory over the visiting Minnesota Twins on Wednesday night.
Batting just .185 entering the contest, Naylor homered for a second straight night and provided needed insurance runs for his team. Meanwhile, Ortiz — holding a 5.96 ERA before this game as Cleveland’s fifth starter — found himself in a pitcher’s duel with Minnesota ace Pablo Lopez. The Guardians’ righty yielded three hits with two walks and struck out five as his team won their second straight after losing the series opener, 11-1, on Monday.
Brooks Lee clubbed an eighth-inning homer off Hunter Gaddis for the Twins, who also recorded a pair of singles and scored on a wild pitch by Emmanuel Clase in the ninth. Minnesota batters struck out 13 times and have been held to three runs over the last two contests.
Lopez (2-2) was cruising while allowing two hits and striking out six through six innings. But, Cleveland’s Jose Ramirez opened the seventh with a single before eventually stealing second. With one out, ex-Twin Carlos Santana chopped one short of the mound, Lopez picked the ball up and threw wildly to first base, allowing Ramirez to score the game’s first run from second.
That ended Lopez’s night, but things got worse for the Twins. Santana stole second as the throw from Minnesota catcher Ryan Jeffers hit pitcher Brock Stewart in the arm. Santana went to third on a wild pitch and Gabriel Arias walked. Then Naylor broke things open with his drive well over the right-field wall.
Minnesota’s first threat against Ortiz didn’t come until the sixth inning. Byron Buxton reached on a two-out infield single, stole second and went to third on catcher Naylor’s throwing error. However, Ortiz fanned Correa to end the frame.
Lopez, meanwhile, retired 13 in a row until Angel Martinez doubled in the bottom of the sixth. However, Martinez was stranded at third.
Cleveland’s Cade Smith (1-0) struck out both batters he faced for the win.
