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Guardians break out of skid after split of doubleheader

MINNEAPOLIS — Gavin Williams pitched six strong innings and José Ramírez had three more hits to extend his hitting streak to 14 games as the Cleveland Guardians beat the Minnesota Twins 5-1 on Wednesday.

Steven Kwan was 3 for 5 with two doubles and Carlos Santana added his second home run of the day in the eighth inning as the Guardians snapped a five-game losing streak by earning a split on the day. Earlier Wednesday, the Twins won the completion of a suspended game 6-5 on Kody Clemens’ walk-off double.

Williams (4-2) finished with six strikeouts against two walks and two hits in six innings. He’s 2-0 with a 1.80 ERA in four May starts.

The Twins got on the board first as Willi Castro led off the third with a walk. Castro moved to second on an infield grounder and scored on Ryan Jeffers’ single, Minnesota’s first hit of the game.

Twins starter Chris Paddack (2-4) cruised through the first five innings without allowing a run. But Ramírez — who extended his hitting streak with a fourth-inning single — led off the sixth with another base hit. One out later Paddack walked back-to-back hitters to end his day.

Reliever Louis Varland came on and walked Gabriel Arias to bring home the tying run. Nolan Jones then hit a sacrifice fly to put the Guardians on top 2-1.

Paddack allowed two runs on seven hits with two walks and two strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings.

Key moment

With a steady but light rain falling, Varland and Arias had a nine-pitch battle in the sixth. Arias fouled off three straight two-strike pitches before taking a knuckle-curve just inches off the outside corner to earn his game-tying walk.

Key stat

Paddack has allowed two or fewer earned runs in seven of his last eight starts.

Up next

The Guardians visit Detroit on Thursday with RHP Tanner Bibee (3-4, 4.06 ERA) facing the Tigers’ Jack Flaherty (2-5, 4.44) Minnesota is back in action Friday when RHP Pablo Lopez (4-2, 2.40) faces Kansas City LHP Noah Cameron (1-1, 0.71) at Target Field.

Game 1

Kody Clemens doubled home the game-winning run with two out in the ninth inning on Wednesday as the Minnesota Twins beat the Cleveland Guardians 6-5 in the resumption of a suspended game.

Clemens lashed a pitch from Cade Smith (1-2) into left-center, just beyond the reach of a diving Angel Martínez to score pinch runner Ryan Fitzgerald from second base.

The teams played three innings on Monday before a second rain delay led to the umpires suspending play for the night. Heavy rain fell on the Twin Cities all day Tuesday, forcing an additional postponement. They’ll play again later Wednesday.

Clemens also tripled and drove in two runs and Harrison Bader also drove in a pair for the Twins, who have won 14 of their last 15. Jhoan Duran (2-0) picked up the victory despite blowing his first save of the season.

Trailing 5-2 entering the ninth inning, the Guardians rallied when Jose Ramírez doubled and Kyle Manzardo walked. Duran entered and gave up an RBI single to Nolan Jones and a two-out, two-strike double to Bo Naylor that tied the game 5-5.

Carlos Santana’s homer shortly after the game resumed on Wednesday tied the score 2-2 in the fourth inning.

The Twins regained the lead on Clemens’ RBI triple in the fourth. Clemens then scored on Bader’s sacrifice fly, putting the Twins on top 4-2.

Minnesota added an insurance run on Bader’s RBI single in the eighth.

Key moment

Guardians center fielder Nolan Jones made a diving attempt at Clemens’ sinking line drive in the fourth. Jones came up short, the ball rolled all the way to the wall and Clemens stopped at third base with an RBI triple.

Key stat

Clemens has eight extra-base hits and 10 RBIs in just 41 plate appearances since the Twins acquired him from Philadelphia on April 26.

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