AL Central champion Guardians clinch first-round bye in postseason with 6-1 victory over Reds

CLEVELAND (AP) — Lane Thomas hit a two-run homer and drove in three, Josh Naylor had a pair of RBIs, and the AL Central champion Cleveland Guardians clinched a first-round bye in the postseason with a 6-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night.

Tanner Bibee (12-8) allowed one run on four hits over seven innings to win for the first time at home since July 19. The right-hander struck out seven in what could be his final outing until Game 1 of the ALDS.

Cleveland earned a five-day break between the end of the regular season and the start of the division series on Oct. 5 at Progressive Field.

“Getting these days off is going to give us a lot of rejuvenation, especially for a young team,” Bibee said. “Now, we’re going to be here at home for like two weeks in a row. It’s going to be nice.”

Thomas and Kyle Manzardo both went deep against Carson Spiers (5-7) in a three-run first as the Guardians improved their AL-best home record to 49-28. They have the second-best overall mark in the AL, 1 1/2 games behind the New York Yankees.

Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt said he will treat the next four games the same way as the first 158, but admitted, “We might give guys a day off.”

“We’ve said from the beginning that we think we can play with anybody –- and these guys have proved it,” the first-year skipper said. “It’s incredible, so great for them. We couldn’t be happier about this opportunity.”

The Reds made their debut under interim manager Freddie Benavides, who was promoted Sunday after David Bell was fired. Benavides’ only managerial experience was four years in the minors for Cincinnati, most recently in 2007 at Single-A Billings.

With the loss, Cincinnati was assured of finishing with a losing record for the eighth time in 10 seasons.

Spencer Steer had an RBI single in the fourth, plating Tyler Stephenson, for the Reds’ final hit. Leadoff hitter Jonathan India was struck on the helmet by a pitch in the fifth, but remained in the game for two more innings.

Hunter Gaddis and AL saves leader Emmanuel Clase retired all six batters they faced to complete the four-hitter for the Guardians.

“Bibee kept us off-balance and he kept balls off the barrel, basically,” Benavides said. “Those two guys at the end are pretty good, too. It’s a solid, solid staff they have on that side.”

Spiers gave up three runs in four innings. Ian Gibaut followed in his first major league appearance since Sept. 30, 2023, working one inning and allowing one run.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Reds: RHP Julian Aguiar (right elbow sprain), who was scheduled to start Wednesday, was placed on the injured list after being hurt during a throwing session. Aguiar did not travel to Cleveland in order to undergo an MRI.

Guardians: OF Steven Kwan (mid-back inflammation) took swings in the batting cage and Vogt said he will be activated during the homestand. The All-Star left fielder was eligible to come off the IL on Tuesday.

UP NEXT

Reds RHP Jakob Junis (4-0, 2.61 ERA) takes on Guardians LHP Joey Cantillo (2-3, 4.63 ERA) in the two-game series finale. Trade deadline acquisition Junis was scratched from starting the opener for personal reasons.

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

Cleveland Guardians' Kyle Manzardo, right, runs home past Cincinnati Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson, left, to score on a sacrifice fly hit by Josh Naylor in the seventh inning of a baseball game in Cleveland, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Guardians' Jose Ramirez gestures after hitting a double in the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds in Cleveland, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Guardians' Jose Ramirez, left, scores safely behind Cincinnati Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson, right, in the fifth inning of a baseball game in Cleveland, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cincinnati Reds' Jonathan India falls after being hit with a pitch in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians in Cleveland, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Guardians right fielder Will Brennan catches a fly ball hit for an out by Cincinnati Reds' Spencer Steer in the second inning of a baseball game in Cleveland, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Guardians second baseman Andres Gimenez, right, forces out Cincinnati Reds' TJ Friedl, left, at second base and completes the throw for the out on Ty France for a double play in the second inning of a baseball game in Cleveland, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Guardians' Kyle Manzardo celebrates as he runs the bases with a home run in the first inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds in Cleveland, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Carson Spiers (68) wipes his face as Cleveland Guardians' Josh Naylor, left, runs around second base on a home run ball hit by Lane Thomas in the first inning of a baseball game in Cleveland, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Guardians' Jose Ramirez, right, starts his slide into home plate as Cincinnati Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson takes the throw in the fifth inning of a baseball game in Cleveland, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Guardians' Tanner Bibee pitches in the first inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds in Cleveland, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Guardians' Kyle Manzardo, right, is congratulated by teammate Jose Ramirez (11) after his home run in the first inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds in Cleveland, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The cratering Minnesota Twins took another step backward in the American League wild-card race, as Jonah Bride homered to spark a four-run second inning off Bailey Ober for the 99-loss Miami Marlins in a 4-1 victory on Tuesday night.

Bride had three hits, while Nick Fortes and Xavier Edwards each had two and helped fuel the defining rally in the second against Ober (12-8), who failed to finish six innings for just the second time in his last 17 starts.

The Twins (81-76), who have lost 23 of their last 34 games and 14 of 20, dropped to two games below the postseason cut behind both Detroit and Kansas City. The Tigers and Royals occupy the last two of the three wild-card spots, tied at 83-74. The Twins hold the tiebreakers after winning the season series against both of them, but there are only five games to go.

The surging Tigers added a win to the column — their 28th in their last 39 games — even before the Twins took batting practice, with their game against Tampa Bay moved up to beat the rain.

The defending AL Central champion Twins were within two games of division-leading Cleveland in a tie for second place with Kansas City as late as Aug. 24, even after several bullpen collapses in the preceding week. But as they stumbled into the final month of the season their offense — which had been one of the most productive in baseball all summer — inconveniently went dark.

After trudging home from a 2-5 road trip, the Twins arrived at Target Field for their final homestand with two potential sources of a real spark. The opposing Marlins have the second-worst record in the major leagues, ahead of only the historically futile Chicago White Sox. Then there's the commanding and comforting presence of Ober, the 6-foot-9 right-hander who's had a breakout season and conveniently is scheduled to pitch again in the finale on Sunday.

Neither of those avenues panned out.

Bride hit a 104.3 mph rocket off a full-count fastball that reached the second deck beyond left field to put the Marlins, who lost 10 of their last 13 games entering this series, on the board. With two outs, Ober hit Derek Hill with a pitch and gave up an RBI single to Fortes two batters later.

Then Edwards drilled a two-run double to left field for a four-run lead that might well have been double that with the way the Twins have been playing. They went 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position, leaving 10 runners on base.

Royce Lewis had an RBI single in the third off Marlins starter Ryan Weathers (4-6), but the left-hander finished five innings for his first win since May 26. He was on the injured list for 2½ months.

Ober pitched to one batter in the sixth. He's 0-3 with five no-decisions in his last eight starts.

Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers threw out two runners trying to steal second base, including Edwards in the fourth. He has 30 stolen bases in 65 games and has only been caught four times.

Twins right fielder Max Kepler is not expected to return this week, having missed the last 20 games with an injury initially diagnosed as patellar tendinitis in his left knee that has since been broadened to include a hip problem that could require offseason surgery.

If Minnesota makes the playoffs, there's a possibility of him rejoining the active roster in October, but with his contract expiring this fall it's likely he has played his last game with an organization that signed him in 2009 as a 16-year-old out of Germany. Kepler's best season came in 2019, when he hit 36 home runs with 90 RBIs and an .855 on-base-plus-slugging percentage.

“I don’t think I could have done much more as a kid from Berlin,” he said.

RHP Edward Cabrera (4-8, 5.12 ERA) pitches for the Marlins in the middle game of the series on Wednesday night. RHP Simeon Woods Richardson (5-5, 4.00 ERA) starts for the Twins.

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

Minnesota Twins' Manuel Margot (13) reacts after hitting a pop out to first during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Miami Marlins starting pitcher Ryan Weathers (60) celebrates after the final out to end the bottom of the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Miami Marlins' Derek Hill celebrates after scoring off an RBI-single by Nick Fortes during the second inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Bailey Ober (17) delivers during the second inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Bailey Ober (17) reacts as pitching coach Pete Maki comes to the mound during the first inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)