Four-run rally in ninth inning lifts Cleveland Guardians to win over Minnesota Twins

MINNEAPOLIS — Oscar Gonzalez tied the score with a two-run single and scored on Owen Miller's go-ahead sacrifice fly and the Guardians rallied for four runs in the ninth inning to beat the Minnesota Twins 11-10 on Wednesday night.

Gonzalez homered earlier and finished with four RBIs for the surging Guardians, who have won the first two in a three-game series to take a one-game lead over the Twins atop the AL Central. The teams also meet five times in four days next week in Cleveland.

Carlos Correa hit two home runs for the Twins, who have lost four of five and are 8-11 in June. Max Kepler and Gio Urshela also went deep for the Twins.

Sam Hentges (1-0) tossed a scoreless eighth and Emmanuel Clase earned his 17th save with a 1-2-3 ninth for the Guardians, who have won 11 of 13 and are 17-4 since May 30. The young Guardians also won their seventh consecutive series.

With the Guardians behind by three, Amed Rosario and José Ramírez singled to start the ninth before an RBI double by Josh Naylor off Emilio Pagan made it 10-8.

Gonzalez came through with a two-run single off Griffin Jax and reached second on the throw. Gonzalez moved to third on Andrés Giménez's sacrifice before Miller lofted a fly ball to left-center with plenty of distance to score Gonzalez and the Guardians completed its latest thrilling comeback.

Jax (4-2) took the loss for the second consecutive night.

Rosario tied a season high with four hits. Gonzalez hit a two-run homer to give the Guardians a 7-6 lead in the seventh.

Urshela, who was a double shy of the cycle, hit a three-run homer as part of a four-run seventh for to give the Twins a 10-7 lead. All the runs scored with two outs.

Spotted a 5-1 lead, Twins starter Sonny Gray gave up a home run to Austin Hedges to start the fifth. Three consecutive singles — with Gray late to cover first base on the last one — coupled with an error by Nick Gordon in center field, ended Gray’s outing. A balk by Caleb Thielbar plated a run to get cut the Twins' lead to 5-4.

Making his second start after missing 16 games with a right pectoral strain, Gray allowed season highs with four earned runs on eight hits in four innings. He had allowed nine hits and one earned run in 18 innings in his previous three starts.

Guardians starter Triston McKenzie entered with an opponents' batting average of .185, tied with Tampa Bay’s Shane McClanahan for second-best in the majors behind the .150 of the Dodgers’ Tony Gonsolin.

Correa didn’t seem to care.

His first-inning home run landed in the second deck in left field, and his third-inning round-tripper was to straightaway center for a 3-1 lead.

Tying his shortest start of the season, McKenzie allowed nine hits and six earned runs in 4⅓ innings.

Trainer's room

Guardians: Designated hitter Franmil Reyes, who returned Tuesday after missing 23 games with right hamstring tightness, did not play. He is expected to be in Thursday’s lineup.

Twins: Right-hander Bailey Ober (right groin strain) said his past four or five catch days have gone well and he hopes to throw off a mound later this week. … First baseman Miguel Sanó, out since surgery in early May to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee, has moved along in his running progression, started hitting and should take live batting practice next week. … Right-hander Randy Dobnak (right middle finger strain) recently threw a 15-pitch, fastball-only bullpen at about 75% and has played catch at 120 feet.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Guardians rally past Twins in ninth to take first place in AL Central