Manzardo homers, Clase gets 46th save as Guardians rally past Twins 4-3 to tighten grip on Central

CLEVELAND, OH – Rookie Kyle Manzardo delivered a decisive two-run homer in the eighth inning, leading the Cleveland Guardians to a 4-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Monday night. Emmanuel Clase earned his 46th save, further securing the Guardians’ position in the AL Central race.

With Josh Naylor on second base following a double, Manzardo stepped up and crushed the first pitch from Griffin Jax (4-5) into the right-field seats for his third home run of the season. The blast ignited celebrations in Cleveland’s dugout and throughout Progressive Field.

The win, Cleveland’s 40th come-from-behind victory of the year, extended their lead over the defending division champion Twins to 7 1/2 games and reduced their magic number for clinching a playoff spot to just two.

Clase, who is making a strong case for the Cy Young Award, closed out the game in the ninth inning for his 33rd consecutive save and 46th of the season, tying José Mesa’s 1995 record for most saves in a single season for the club.

Rookie Andrew Walters (1-0) earned his first career win as the Guardians’ top-ranked bullpen delivered 6 1/3 scoreless innings, rescuing starter Matthew Boyd, who was pulled in the third inning.

The Twins’ Pablo López pitched into the seventh inning, but Minnesota’s bullpen faltered, unable to hold onto the lead. Byron Buxton’s two-run single was not enough to prevent the loss, and the Twins’ record against the Guardians dropped to 8-2 for the season.

Minnesota’s hopes for the division title are all but dashed, with every defeat further jeopardizing their chances for a wild-card spot.

The Guardians and Twins will meet again on Tuesday, with Cleveland’s Gavin Williams (3-9, 5.23 ERA) taking the mound against Minnesota rookie Zebby Matthews (1-3, 7.11 ERA).