Sep. 18, 2024 22:53 PM EST

Brayan Rocchio's Game-Winning Single In 10Th Gives Al Central-Leading Guardians A 5-4 Win Over Twins

By BRIAN DULIK
Associated Press
Cleveland Guardians' Andres Gimenez scores a run on an RBI single by Brayan Rocchio during the tenth inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Dermer) David Dermer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Cleveland Guardians' Andres Gimenez scores a run on an RBI single by Brayan Rocchio during the tenth inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Dermer)
Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Bailey Ober delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Dermer)
Cleveland Guardians second baseman Andres Gimenez flips the ball to shortstop Brayan Rocchio to get out Minnesota Twins' Carlos Correa during the first inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Dermer)
Minnesota Twins first baseman Carlos Santana (30) pranks Cleveland Guardians' Jose Ramirez after Ramirez hit a single during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Dermer)
Cleveland Guardians' Brayan Rocchio is hugged by Will Brennan after hitting a walk-off single during the tenth inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Dermer)
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CLEVELAND (AP) — Brayan Rocchio singled in Andrés Giménez with the winning run as the AL Central-leading Cleveland Guardians scored three times in the 10th inning to beat the Minnesota Twins 5-4 on Wednesday night, reducing their magic number for clinching a playoff berth to one.

Kyle Manzardo and Will Brennan had RBI singles off Ronny Henriquez (1-1) before Michael Tonkin entered and gave up Rocchio’s second career walk-off hit, a chopper to right through a drawn-in infield.

“It’s awesome being with all these guys on the team,” Rocchio said. “That’s a special moment for me. I talked to (manager Stephen) Vogt before the game and he told me, ‘Hey, today you have a chance to win the game,’ and you saw what happened.”

The Guardians, who now have a major league-leading 41 comeback victories this season, can lock up a postseason spot Thursday with a win over Minnesota.

Josh Naylor hit a pair of solo homers and scored three times for Cleveland, which leads the division by six games over Kansas City with nine games remaining. Naylor’s first shot was a 445-foot rocket to right-center, giving him his initial 30-homer season.

“The biggest game of the year and look what we do,” Brennan said. “The youngest guys on the team get it done. These guys are so prepared, it’s unbelievable.”

The Twins took a 4-2 lead in the top of the 10th on Carlos Correa’s two-run single off Hunter Gaddis (5-3). Correa finished with four RBIs and extended his hitting streak to 16 games, matching his career high with Houston in 2019.

“I was excited about that at-bat and it was a good moment, but it wasn’t good enough,” said Correa, who is batting .377 with five homers and 15 RBIs in his last 17 games. “You just have to keep fighting. It’s a tough sport.”

Twins right-hander Bailey Ober struck out a career-high 12 over seven innings, but remained winless in seven starts since Aug. 9. He allowed two runs without issuing a walk.

With the loss, Minnesota's lead over Detroit for the final AL wild-card position was sliced to one half a game. The Twins own the tiebreaker over the Tigers and the clubs are done with their season series.

“We had some guys do some pretty great things out there, but it probably hurts more because we’re fighting for everything right now,” Minnesota manager Rocco Baldelli said.

Guardians starter Tanner Bibee worked 6 2/3 innings and gave up two runs. The right-hander is 2-0 with a 1.82 ERA in four games against Minnesota this season.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Twins: OF Trevor Larnach (hamstring), who has a career-high 15 homers, served as the designated hitter for his sixth game in a row. Baldelli said Larnach should return to his regular spot in left field before the start of the postseason.

Guardians: RHP Alex Cobb (right third finger blister), who is eligible to come off the injured list on Sept. 24, will determine whether he throws a simulated game or makes a start for Triple-A Columbus. “Really, Alex is driving the bus on this,” Vogt said.

UP NEXT

Twins RHP Simeon Woods Richardson (5-5, 4.08 ERA) faces Guardians LHP Joey Cantillo (2-3, 4.99 ERA) in the four-game series finale Thursday.

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