Polanco, Ober deliver as Twins blank Guardians – InForum

Offense was at a premium on Friday night at Target Field.

Minnesota Twins second baseman Jorge Polanco broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the seventh inning with an RBI double and the Twins defeated the Cleveland Guardians 1-0, their second straight win by a one-run margin over their division rivals.

Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers opened the bottom of the seventh inning with a double into the left-field corner. Willi Castro struck out swinging for the first out. Kyle Farmer then walked, before Michael A. Taylor grounded into a fielder’s choice, with the Guardians getting the lead runner at third.

Polanco’s double rang off the right-field wall, with Taylor stopping at third. Royce Lewis grounded out to pitcher Nick Sandlin to end the inning.

The Guardians had a quick response, with leadoff hitter Steven Kwan reaching on a double to center field off Twins reliever Brock Stewart. One out later, Twins closer Jhoan Duran entered the game to the delight of the announced crowd of 26,818.

Duran got a key strikeout of Jose Ramirez, the Guardians’ best hitter. Cleanup hitter Josh Naylor was intentionally walked, and Duran ended the inning by striking out Andres Gimenez.

Bailey Ober started for the Twins and blanked the Guardians on four hits over six innings. He struck out three and did not allow a walk.

Ober has pitched well since being called up from the Triple-A Saints on April 29, entering Friday’s start with a 3-2 record and an earned-run average of 2.68. His ERA now stands at 2.33. Ober has pitched at least five innings in all eight of his starts this season.

The Twins loaded the bases in the first inning but did not score. Alex Kirilloff, who entered the game 3 for 5 lifetime against Guardians starter Aaron Civale, reached on a two-out double. After a walk to Donovan Solano, Max Kepler, back in the lineup after leaving Thursday’s game due to a migraine, hit a sharp single to right.

Bruce Kluckhohn / USA Today Sports

The ball was hit too hard for Kirilloff to try to score from second. The inning ended when Jeffers struck out.

The Twins threatened again in the fourth. They put runners on second and third with two outs, but Farmer lined out to third to end the inning.

Jovani Moran replaced Ober to start the sixth, and after getting a groundout he surrendered back-to-back singles. Twins manager Rocco Baldelli replaced him with Stewart, and he got Myles Straw to pop out and Amed Rosario to fly out to right.