Minnesota Twins vs. Cleveland Indians Pick & Prediction SEPTEMBER 19th 2024
Preview and Prediction
The Cleveland Guardians appear to be well-prepared for the upcoming postseason, while the Minnesota Twins have been struggling to stay in contention. As the Guardians, who currently lead the American League Central, aim to win this four-game series against the struggling Twins, they will rely on their ability to come back from behind and their strong performances in big games. In their latest victory, Josh Naylor hit two tying home runs and Brayan Rocchio's RBI single sealed the deal in a 5-4 win for the Guardians. Manager Stephen Vogt praised his team's never-give-up attitude, stating that their ability to come back in late innings and outlast their opponents gives them confidence in their ability to win important games. Naylor, who hit his 30th and 31st home runs in Wednesday's game, has been a key player for the Guardians all season, with a batting average of .320 and 13 RBIs in his last 19 games. Meanwhile, injuries and inconsistency in the rotation have opened up opportunities for pitcher Joey Cantillo, who made his major league debut in July. Though he struggled in his first four starts, Cantillo has since bounced back and won both of his recent starts, allowing just one run and five hits while striking out 16 batters. He will look to continue this success in his third career start against the Twins. The Twins, who have a record of 3-9 against the Guardians this season, are currently holding onto the final wild-card spot in the AL. Despite their recent struggles, star player Carlos Correa has been a bright spot for the team, batting .315 since returning from a foot injury. On the other hand, scheduled starter Simeon Woods Richardson has been dealing with fatigue and has not completed more than 4 2/3 innings in his last four starts. He will look to bounce back from a rough outing in his last game against the Cincinnati Reds. Woods Richardson, who has made 26 starts and pitched 128 innings in his first full season in the majors, remains determined to compete and help his team in any way he can. However, he will have to face a strong Cleveland lineup, including Naylor and fellow All-Star David Fry, who have a combined 4-for-9 record against him in their previous matchups. In conclusion, the Cleveland Guardians are in a good position to continue their success and secure a spot in the postseason, while the Minnesota Twins will need to turn things around quickly if they hope to hold onto their spot in the playoffs. Both teams will rely on their key players to lead them to victory in this crucial series.
Minnesota Twins vs. Cleveland Indians Recap SEP 19TH 2024
Andres Gimenez had three hits, including a game-ending RBI single in the 10th inning, as the Cleveland Guardians clinched a playoff spot by rallying to defeat the visiting Minnesota Twins 3-2 on Thursday.
With Minnesota's Caleb Thielbar (2-4) on the mound and Cleveland's Jose Ramirez as the automatic runner at second base in the 10th, Josh Naylor struck out, before Lane Thomas was intentionally walked. Gimenez then laced a hit to right field to end it.
Kyle Manzardo had three hits, including a solo home run for Cleveland (89-65) which won for the fifth time in six games to earn at least a wild-card spot in the upcoming playoffs.
Joey Cantillo gave up two runs (one earned) on three hits over 4 1/3 innings for the Guardians, while six relievers did not give up a hit over the final 5 2/3 innings. Eli Morgan (3-0) pitched a scoreless 10th inning to earn the win.
Simeon Woods Richardson gave up one run on five hits over 4 2/3 innings for Minnesota (80-73) with six strikeouts. Manuel Margot drove in a run as the Twins lost for the fifth time in seven games.
The loss dropped the Twins into a tie with the Detroit Tigers for the final American League wild-card spot.
Cleveland took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on Manzardo's fourth homer of the season.
After the Twins' Kyle Farmer doubled in the fifth, Matt Wallner struck out before Willi Castro walked. Margot then doubled to center, leading to Lane Thomas' two-run fielding error and giving Minnesota a 2-1 lead.
With Minnesota's Cole Irvin on the mound in the bottom of the sixth, three singles loaded the bases before Rocchio hit a sacrifice fly to center for a 2-2 tie.
In the 10th, Morgan (3-0) hit Wallner with a pitch to put Twins runners on first and second with nobody out. After Castro's sacrifice bunt advanced both runners, Margot walked to load the bases. Morgan retired Carlos Correa on a pop up and Byron Buxton on a line out to escape the jam.