Kole Calhoun HR gets Guardians past Twins in 10
Kole Calhoun hit a two-out, three-run homer in the 10th inning as the Cleveland Guardians rallied for a 5-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins in the deciding game of a three-game series Wednesday afternoon in Minneapolis.
Calhoun, acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers for cash on Aug. 4, smashed a 3-0 fastball by Minnesota reliever Kody Funderburk 433 feet into the second deck in right-center for his third homer of the season, driving in automatic runner Bo Naylor and Jose Ramirez, who was intentionally walked.
Steven Kwan had two hits for the Guardians, including a double with an RBI, and Will Brennan also had two hits as Cleveland moved to within five games of the first-place Twins in the American League Central.
The Guardians and Twins meet again for a three-game series that starts on Monday at Cleveland.
Cleveland's Trevor Stephan (6-4) struck out the side in the ninth to pick up the win and Emmanuel Clase pitched a perfect 10th inning to earn his 36th save.
Jorge Polanco had two hits, two walks and two RBIs for Minnesota and Donovan Solano also had two hits and scored a run. Emilio Pagan (5-2) took the loss.
The Twins opened the scoring by taking a 2-0 lead in the fifth. Matt Wallner led off with a walk and Solano had a one-out single. Edouard Julien walked to load the bases and Polanco singled to drive in Wallner and Solano.
Cleveland cut it to 2-1 in the eighth when Gabriel Arias led off with a hustle double to right-center against reliever Griffin Jax, advanced to third on a groundout by Myles Straw and scored on an opposite-field single to left by Kwan.
The Guardians then tied it 2-2 in the ninth against Twins closer Jhoan Duran. Andres Gimenez walked with one out and Will Brennan followed with a single. After both runners advanced on a groundout by Arias, Gimenez scored on a wild pitch.
Twins starter Sonny Gray allowed three hits over seven scoreless innings and struck out five while lowering his ERA to an American League-best 2.92.
--Field Level Media