MINNEAPOLIS — Steven Kwan tied a season high with four RBIs and the Cleveland Guardians made it 10 straight wins by beating the Minnesota Twins 8-0 on Saturday to sweep a day-night doubleheader without giving up a run.
Winners in 15 of their last 16 games, the Guardians are one game back of the first-place Detroit Tigers in the AL Central after trailing by 11 on Sept. 4. The Tigers lost to the Atlanta Braves 6-5 on Saturday afternoon.
The Guardians started the nightcap one game behind the Boston Red Sox and Houston Astros in the wild-card standings. They won the opener 6-0, hitting five home runs in a game for the first time since April 10, 2021.
Limited to one hit through four innings, the Guardians sent 10 batters to the plate in the fifth inning.
A one-out single by Kwan scored Brayan Rocchio and Petey Halpin. With two outs, Kyle Manzardo and C.J. Kayfus had RBI singles around a two-run double by Gabriel Arias to the wall in right-center field.
Kwan added a two-run single in the eighth.
That was more than enough for Logan Allen (8-11), who earned his first win since July 29 by scattering four hits and striking out seven in a career-high eight innings.
Guardians starters have allowed no more than two earned runs in 15 straight games since Sept. 5, the longest streak in franchise history.
Bailey Ober (5-9) permitted six runs and eight hits in five innings for the Twins. After going 4-1 in his first seven starts, he is 1-8 in 19 starts since May 8. He missed 26 games from June 29 to Aug. 2 with a left hip impingement.
Originally Published:
