Game Recap 8/28/23 | Guardians Lose to Twins 10-6

Post-Game Live Recap

3 Things About Guardians Loss to Twins:

1 – Curry Struggles

Xzavion Curry started the bottom of the 2nd inning up 4-0 but was unable to hold the lead, with the death blow being a grand slam to cap a six-run 2nd for the Twins.  Curry’s ERA is now over four at 4.10 after pitching two innings while giving up six earned. 

2 – Doubles

The Guardians ripped three doubles on Monday night by three different hitters, Andres Gimenez, Gabriel Arias, and Steven Kwan.  Kwan’s RBI double in the 4th made it 7-6.

3 – Polanco HR

With the score 7-6 heading into the bottom of the 4th, the Guardian were trying to make a comeback, but Daniel Norris was unable to hold the score as a three-run blast from Jorge Polanco put the Twins ahead for good. 

Game Summary

In back-to-back games, Royce Lewis delivered his second grand slam, igniting the Minnesota Twins with a powerful boost in the second inning. Their 10-6 victory on Monday against the Cleveland Guardians expanded their lead in the AL Central to an impressive seven-game margin, marking the highest lead of the season.

Contributing to the Twins’ offensive prowess, Matt Wallner smashed a solo home run in the third inning, while Jorge Polanco crushed a three-run homer into the upper deck during the fourth inning. This sustained offensive onslaught has seen the Twins hit 70 home runs since the All-Star break, placing them second in the majors for this statistic.

In his inaugural appearance in the major leagues, Kody Funderburk (1-0) secured the win, amassing three strikeouts, inducing two weak groundouts back to the mound, and inducing a popout behind second base. He held the opposing team scoreless over two perfect innings, relieving the struggling Kenta Maeda.

The defending division champions, the Cleveland Guardians (62-70), have now matched their total number of losses from the 2022 season with 30 games still remaining. Although they held a slight advantage over the Twins at the mid-season break, their performance has faltered since due to the prolonged absence of key pitchers, including 2020 Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber, and the surprising trade of Aaron Civale, a vital fourth starter. This has resulted in a disappointing 17-25 record in recent games.

Throughout this season, the Twins have maintained their dominant position, spending 141 out of 151 days in first place. Their upcoming schedule includes only nine matches against teams with winning records, excluding the matchups against the Guardians. Notably, the Twins will face the Guardians five more times, including a three-game series set to take place in Cleveland next week.

On the opposing side, Bo Naylor’s two-run home run and RBI doubles from Gabriel Arias and Steven Kwan off Kenta Maeda exposed the Twins’ pitching vulnerabilities. Maeda, who lasted four innings, conceded all six runs during this time.

The Guardians’ starter, Xzavion Curry (3-3), struggled and was pulled after just two innings, allowing six runs. Daniel Norris, making his third appearance with the club this year after being promoted from Triple-A Columbus, replaced Curry. Unfortunately, Norris couldn’t stave off the Twins’ offensive onslaught, yielding home runs to Wallner and Polanco.

Trainers Room

Josh Naylor (strained right oblique muscle) will begin a rehab assignment Tuesday at Double-A Akron, where he’ll play the whole week before a reassessment of his readiness to return. He has missed 25 games.

Up Next

Tuesday 8/29 7:40 PM EST – Game 2 of the Series at Minnesota Twins