Twins sweep doubleheader to stretch Guardians' skid to 7 straight, close AL Central gap to 1½ games

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Matt Wallner hit the go-ahead three-run homer for the Minnesota Twins in the fifth inning of the nightcap to spoil Cleveland starter Alex Cobb's season debut, fueling a 6-3 victory for a doubleheader sweep on Friday that gave the Guardians their seventh straight loss and further tightened the AL Central race.

Bailey Ober pitched six shutout innings and Carlos Santana and Ryan Jeffers hit solo homers to win the opener 4-2 for the surging Twins (65-50), who cut their deficit to 1½ games behind the Guardians (67-49).

That's the closest defending division champion Minnesota has been since May 13 to Cleveland, which has held first place for all but seven days in April.

Cobb (0-1), who was acquired for prospects on July 30 in a trade with San Francisco, surrendered three consecutive two-out hits in the fifth after Josh Naylor's three-run homer gave the Guardians a 3-2 lead in the top of the frame.

Wallner's soaring 106.9 mph drive to right field, his fourth home run in his last 10 games, was the first homer on a 3-0 count for the Twins this season and the last pitch for Cobb. The 36-year-old had offseason hip surgery after making his first All-Star game last year for the Giants.

The Guardians, who hadn't lost more than three games in a row all season until this skid started last weekend, went hitless against relievers Cole Sands (6-1), Caleb Thielbar and Trevor Richards after tagging Twins starter Louie Varland for eight hits and three runs in 4 2/3 innings.

Richards recorded his first save, after Jhoan Duran notched his 16th save in the opener by striking out the side in the ninth inning.

The Guardians, swept in their second doubleheader in three days, got a little sloppy in the nightcap. Willi Castro scored on a delayed steal of home in the first inning, after Wallner sprinted to second on a walk by Royce Lewis to draw a throw by catcher Austin Hedges. That's when Castro bolted home, and the throw to the plate was too late.

Twins backup catcher Christian Vázquez hustled home from second base, after a throwing error by shortstop Brayan Rocchio on an infield single skipped past Naylor at first.

Vázquez later scored on a balk by reliever Tim Herrin, after dancing down the third-base line to try to distract him. Herrin didn't think he did it, charging at home plate umpire Jim Wolf to yell his disgust. Rookie manager Stephen Vogt came out to protect his pitcher and shout his piece, drawing his first career ejection.

OBER IS LIGHTS OUT

Ober (12-5) has elevated himself into a legitimate ace at just the right time for the Twins, who shelved starting pitcher Joe Ryan with a shoulder injury before the game that puts his availability in question for the remainder of the regular season.

“It’s tough when guys go down, especially with how they’ve been doing," Ober said. "We’re hurting for them. We’re hoping they can get as healthy as they can. We’re just going to try to go out there and play our baseball.”

The 6-foot-9 right-hander, in his fourth year in the major leagues, dominated with just two hits and two walks allowed and nine strikeouts in a career-high 106 pitches against a lineup loaded with eight left-handed hitters. Ober logged his ninth consecutive quality start with three runs or fewer allowed and six innings or more completed, keeping the Guardians repeatedly guessing — late on his fastball and ahead on his changeup.

“I think we could’ve done a better job today, I really do, but at the same time he had his ‘A’ stuff,” Vogt said. “He kept us off balance.”

Joey Cantillo (0-2), who was recalled from Triple-A as the 27th player for the doubleheader, gave up 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 homer in the seventh off Jorge Alcala brought the Guardians within 3-2, but Griffin Jax and Duran finished strong out of the bullpen for the Twins.

UP NEXT

Guardians RHP Gavin Williams (1-4, 4.91 ERA) starts on Saturday night. RHP Simeon Woods Richardson (3-2, 3.87 ERA) pitches for the Twins.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

Cleveland Guardians first baseman Josh Naylor, left, tags out Minnesota Twins' Jose Miranda at first base during the first inning of the first game of a baseball doubleheader, Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Joey Cantillo delivers against the Minnesota Twins during the first inning of the first game of a baseball doubleheader, Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

Minnesota Twins' Manuel Margot runs the bases after hitting a double against the Cleveland Guardians during the first inning of the first game of a baseball doubleheader, Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Bailey Ober delivers against the Cleveland Guardians during the first inning of the first game of a baseball doubleheader, Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

Minnesota Twins' Carlos Santana, center, celebrates his solo home run with teammates Willi Castro, left, and Christian Vázquez, right, in the dugout during the second inning of the first game of a baseball doubleheader against the Cleveland Guardians, Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

Cleveland Guardians' Josh Naylor celebrates after his three-run home run with third base coach Rouglas Odor as he runs the bases during the fifth inning of the second game of a baseball doubleheader against the Minnesota Twins, Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

Minnesota Twins' Matt Wallner, left, celebrates after his three-run home run with third base coach Tommy Watkins, right, during the fifth inning of the second game of a baseball doubleheader against the Cleveland Guardians, Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

Minnesota Twins' Matt Wallner, left, hits a three-run home run against the Cleveland Guardians during the fifth inning of the second game of a baseball doubleheader, Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Joey Bart, Andrew McCutchen and Isiah Kiner-Falefa each drove in two runs, and the Pittsburgh Pirates handed St. Louis its fourth consecutive loss with an 8-4 victory over the Cardinals on Monday night.

Bart connected in the first inning for his first homer of the season. He also hit an RBI triple during Pittsburgh's four-run seventh.

Pirates right-hander Carmen Mlodzinski (1-1) pitched five innings of one-run ball in his first win as a starting pitcher. He was converted from a reliever to a starter during spring training.

Rookie Thomas Harrington pitched four innings for his first save in his second career game, helping the Pirates win back-to-back games for the first time this season.

Kiner-Falefa hit a two-run single in the second, and McCutchen added a two-run double in the seventh.

Cardinals left-hander Matthew Liberatore (0-1) struck out seven in 6 1/3 innings. He was charged with five runs and eight hits.

Masyn Winn and Yohel Pozo homered for St. Louis, and Brendan Donovan had three hits.

Pozo was brought up from Triple-A Memphis before the game. He hit a solo drive in the sixth for his first homer since his major league debut with Texas on Aug. 13, 2021.

Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado was scratched with what manager Oliver Marmol said was “illness and general soreness.”

Harrington got Willson Contreras to ground into an inning-ending double play in the seventh, and the Pirates broke the game open in the bottom half. Contreras went 0 for 4 and his batting average fell to .103.

Harrington became the first Pirates pitcher to record a four-inning save since Jason Christiansen on July 17, 1998, at Montreal.

Cardinals right-hander Sonny Gray (1-0, 5.73 ERA) faces Pirates ace Paul Skenes (1-0, 1.46 ERA) on Tuesday night.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

With temperatures in the 30s, a fan, center, sits bundled up behind home plate during a baseball game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the St. Louis Cardinals in Pittsburgh, Monday, April 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

St. Louis Cardinals' Masyn Winn (0) celebrates with teammate Lars Nootbaar as he returns to the dugout after hitting a solo home run off Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Thomas Harrington during the ninth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Monday, April 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Chris Roycroft collects himself on the mound during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Pittsburgh, Monday, April 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Pirates' Ke'Bryan Hayes (13) is greeted by Isiah Kiner-Falefa, back left, and Joey Bart (14) after scoring the second of two runs on a double by Andrew McCutchen off St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Chris Roycroft during the seventh inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Monday, April 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Pirates' Joey Bart (14) celebrates with third base coach Mike Rabelo (58) after driving in a run with a triple off St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Chris Roycroft during the seventh inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Monday, April 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Thomas Harrington (78) celebrates with catcher Joey Bart, left, after getting the final out of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals in Pittsburgh, Monday, April 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)