MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — 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 López (4-2, 2.40) faces Kansas City LHP Noah Cameron (1-1, 0.71) at Target Field.