It took eleven innings and a pair of two-run homers, but the Guardians pulled out a 6-5 win.
On Tuesday night, Cleveland entered a pivotal series against division rivals Minnesota Twins.
For weeks, the Guardians circled this series, building on win after win against quality opponents like the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The wins gave the club some much-needed momentum after May crushed their strong start to the season.
And heading into this series against the Twins, first place in the AL Central was within grasp.
So close they could taste it.
And boy, are they eating good tonight.
Box Story
The series opener against the Twins was a back-and-forth affair.
Runs were scored in bunches of two and three.
A Josh Naylor two-run jack put the Guardians up 3-0 after three innings, but the fourth and seventh innings saw the Twins roar back to take a 5-3 lead.
Then, something strange happened.
Fans were treated to a sighting rarer than a white tiger out of a zoo: a Franmil Reyes home run.
Not just a home run, but a game-tying two-run blast in the top of the eighth.
It was Reyes’ first game back from an injury that sidelined him since May 25.
The homer kept the Guardians in the game when they needed it most.
And then, young sensation Andrés Giménez put Cleveland ahead in the 11th inning with a blooper to shallow center.
With the win, the Guardians are now tied with the Twins for first in the AL Central.
Fans were, understandably, pleased:
Point at the AL MVP #ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/W0DS9vs9Ga
— Stephen (@Scuba_Steve26) June 21, 2022
Hello Do you know us?
We’re a Major League Baseball team.
But since we changed our name and logo, no one recognizes us- not even in our own home town.
That’s why we carry this.
People still don’t recognize us but…
WE’RE CONTENDERS NOW #ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/v6oAoQTIys
— McNeil (@Reflog_18) June 22, 2022
YOUR FIRST PLACE CLEVELAND GUARDIANS!!!! 🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/EsMc7ATnTQ
— McNeil (@Reflog_18) June 22, 2022
GET A GOOD LOOK AT YOUR FIRST PLACE CLEVELAND GUARDIANS#ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/37mYVkTpvq
— Nick Karns (@karnsies817) June 22, 2022
I mean, Terry Francona has to be one of the ten best managers of all-time, right? RIGHT?!?!? #ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/iNLWKO2lde
— Ed Greenberger (@EdGreenberger) June 22, 2022
Your first place Cleveland Guardians. #ForTheLand
— Nick Pedone (@NickPedone12) June 22, 2022
Beautiful morning in Northeast Ohio today, isn't it?#ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/8QtBIjuQYk
— Jake Dungan (@JDungan93) June 22, 2022
Youngest team in baseball! Keep sleeping….
Guardians 35-28 – .556%
Twins 38-31 – .551%#ForTheLand— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) June 22, 2022
With the win, Cleveland is 35-28, riding a spectacular 8-2 streak over their last 10 games.
But it’s not just the last 10 games that have been spectacular for Cleveland.
The entire month of June has seen this team’s fortune flip.
Just a month ago, Cleveland was a distant third in the AL Central, behind both the Chicago White Sox and Twins.
But after winning 16 of their last 20 games (and going 14-4 in June), Cleveland is back atop the standings and seriously eying a playoff berth.
Perhaps the Guardians will even be buyers at the deadline, looking to add depth and offense to propel them towards a late October run?
Next on Tap
On Wednesday, the Guardians will send Triston McKenzie to the mound to face off against Twins righty Sonny Gray.
Gray has a nice 2.09 ERA on the season, compared to McKenzie’s solid 2.96.
McKenzie’s been strong through his last two starts, giving up just 2.25 runs and tallying 12 strikeouts.
Meanwhile, Gray was once a star pitcher for the Oakland Athletics, finishing third place in the AL Cy Young race in 2015, behind Dallas Keuchal and David Price.
After this stretch against the Twins, the Guardians have an equally important set of games against the Red Sox before racing off once more against the Twins.
The Red Sox are just as important an opponent as the Twins for playoff purposes.
Should the Guardians slip in the AL Central race, the Red Sox are one of the teams on Cleveland’s wild card tail.
So notching a few wins against Boston to keep them at bay is critical.
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