The Cleveland Indians defeated the Minnesota Twins 7-5 on Thursday. The win brought Cleveland within one game of the Twins with three games left to play in this series, and a grand total of nine head-to-head matchups to come.
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Gibson: 4.1 IP, 4 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 6 BB, 2 K, 49% strikes (42 of 85 pitches)
Bullpen: 4.2 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
Home Runs: None
Multi-Hit Games: Luis Arraez (2-for-3, BB)
Bottom 3 WPA: Eddie Rosario -.314, Kyle Gibson -.257, C.J. Cron -.146
Mike Clevinger mostly stymied the best offense in baseball on Thursday, going seven innings and striking out nine en route to his seventh win. Clevinger threw 117 pitches and made them all count, allowing just three hits. The two blemishes came in the fourth, as the Twins struck on RBI singles from Luis Arraez and Marwin Gonzalez.
The Indians offense lifted Clevinger as Yasiel Puig tripled and scored in the second off Kyle Gibson. Gibson pitched 4 1/3 innings and allowed five runs while walking six. Zach Littell relieved Gibson in the fifth and gave up a two-run double to Jose Ramirez. Ramirez continued his smoking hot second half, driving in three runs on the evening.
Adam Cimber pitched the eighth inning for Cleveland and surrendered two hits and a walk as Jorge Polanco doubled in Ehire Adrianza to narrow the deficit to three. Cimber was pulled for left-hander Oscar Perez and Eddie Rosario grounded into a fielder’s choice, scoring Max Kepler to bring the Twins within two.
Miguel Sano doubled in Rosario on a full count to strike within one. Marwin Gonzalez popped out to center to end the inning.
Tyler Naquin blasted a solo homer off Trevor May in the ninth for an insurance run. In the bottom half, Eddie Rosario popped out to right with bases loaded for the finishing touch. Minnesota native Brad Hand earned his 29th save. Devin Smeltzer and Shane Bieber will face off tomorrow night.