Sep 17, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Minnesota Twins left fielder Willi Castro (50) and middle fielder Byron Buxton (25) have fun a win over the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images While the Cleveland Guardians are on the verge of clinching a postseason berth, the Minnesota Twins proceed their struggle to stay in playoff place.
Looking to construct on a wanted win and trying to degree the present four-game sequence, the visiting Twins will attempt to finish their season struggles towards the Guardians’ Tanner Bibee on Wednesday evening.
Minnesota (80-71) failed to carry a late 3-1 lead in a series-opening 4-3 loss on Monday, however the Twins added to a late 2-1 benefit on Tuesday. After Matt Wallner gave the Twins that lead with RBI singles within the third and fifth innings, Willi Castro clubbed a two-run homer within the eighth to pave the best way for a 4-1 victory.
“Always go on the market, belief your self and benefit from the sport,” Castro instructed Bally Sports North.
The Twins are 10-18 since Aug. 18, however they nonetheless maintain a 1 1/2-game lead over the Detroit Tigers for the ultimate American League wild-card spot.
“Everyone’s conscious of the standings,” Minnesota pitcher Pablo Lopez stated. “We cannot let that give us self-inflicted stress.”
Cleveland (87-65), in the meantime, may very well be formally playoff-bound by the point the sequence ends Thursday.
The Guardians have received all 3 times that Bibee (11-8, 3.60 ERA) has began towards the Twins this yr. Bibee went 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA and 22 strikeouts over 18 innings of these video games. The Twins’ three runs got here on solo homers from Edouard Julien, Jose Miranda and Byron Buxton.
The right-hander, nonetheless, is 1-3 with a 4.88 ERA in his previous 5 begins, having allowed six residence runs and 9 walks in 27 2/3 innings. On Friday towards the Tampa Bay Rays, Bibee gave up three runs on two of these homers, plus six different hits, whereas putting out 9 in six innings of Cleveland’s 3-1 loss.
“Six innings, three runs — we’ll take that 100 out of 100 instances,” Guardians supervisor Stephen Vogt stated. “He battled by it … I believe that simply exhibits once more how Tanner’s progressing and the kind of pitcher that he’s.”
Castro, who’s batting .313 (10-for-32) throughout an eight-game hitting streak vs. Cleveland, is 3-for-9 in his profession towards Bibee.
Scheduled Minnesota starter Bailey Ober (12-7, 3.90 ERA) has recorded private bests for wins and begins (28) this yr.
In his most up-to-date outing, on Friday at residence towards the Cincinnati Reds, Ober allowed a run by the primary six innings. Then the right-hander bumped into hassle in seventh, when he was charged with 4 extra runs scored. He was pulled with two outs within the body, and the Twins misplaced 8-4.
Ober allowed 5 runs and eight hits over 4 innings of Minnesota’s 11-4 loss at Cleveland on May 18. But he yielded simply two hits, two walks and struck out 9 over six scoreless innings of the Twins’ 4-2 residence victory towards the Guardians on Aug. 9.
In seven profession begins vs. Cleveland, Ober is 2-2 with a 2.13 ERA.
Cleveland star Jose Ramirez, who’s batting .300 (12-for-40) throughout a 10-game hitting streak, has a .313 common (5-for-16) with two doubles and a homer vs. Ober.
Guardians middle fielder Lane Thomas is 0-for-3 towards Ober, however he’s hitting .317 (19-for-60) with 5 residence runs and 16 RBIs in 16 video games this month. He hit his second homer in 4 video games on Tuesday.
–Field Level Media