While the Cleveland Guardians are nearing the end of the season, the Minnesota Twins continue to fight to stay in the playoff spot.
Looking to build on a much-needed win and attempt to even the current four-game winning streak, the visiting Twins will try to end their season struggles against the Guardian’s Tanner Bibee on Wednesday night.
Minnesota (80-71) lost a late 3-1 lead in a 4-3 series loss on Monday, but the Twins extended their lead to 2-1 on Tuesday. After Matt Wallner gave the Twins the lead with RBI singles in the third and fifth innings, Willi Castro belted a two-run homer in the eighth to lead the way to a 4-1 victory.
“Stay out there, have confidence and enjoy the game,” Castro told Bally Sports North.
The Twins are 10-18 as of August 18, but still hold a 1 1/2 game lead over the Detroit Tigers for the final American League wild card spot.
“Everybody knows about standing,” Minnesota forward Pablo Lopez said. “We can’t let that put pressure on us to do it ourselves.”
Cleveland (87-65), could be officially out of the game after Thursday’s series.
Guardian Bibee (11-8, 3.60 ERA) has made three starts against the Twins this year. Bibee went 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA and 22 strikeouts over 18 innings of those games. The Twins’ three runs came on singles from Edouard Julien, Jose Miranda and Byron Buxton.
The right-hander, however, is 1-3 with a 4.88 ERA over his past five innings, allowing six home runs and nine walks in 27 2/3 innings. On Friday against the Tampa Bay Rays, Bibee gave up three runs on two of those home runs, along with six other hits, while striking out nine in six innings in a 3-1 loss to Cleveland.
“Six innings, three runs — we’ll take that 100 out of 100,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “He dealt with it … I think that shows again how Tanner is developing and the type of pitcher he is.”
Castro, who is hitting .313 (10-for-32) in eight games against Cleveland, is 3-for-9 in his career against Bibee.
Minnesota scheduled starter Bailey Ober (12-7, 3.90 ERA) recorded a personal best for wins and starts (28) this year.
In his most recent outing, Friday at home against the Cincinnati Reds, Ober allowed a run in the first six innings. The right fielder then ran into trouble in the seventh, when he was plated for four more runs. With two outs in the frame, the Twins lost 8-4.
Ober allowed five runs and eight hits over four innings in Minnesota’s 11-4 loss at Cleveland on May 18. But he managed just two hits, two walks and pitched nine scoreless innings over for six in the Twins’ 4-2 home win against the team. Caregivers on Aug. 9.
In seven career starts against Cleveland, Ober is 2-2 with a 2.13 ERA.
Cleveland star Jose Ramirez, who is hitting .300 (12-for-40) through 10 hitting games, has a .313 (5-for-16) double and homer average vs. Ober.
Guardians center fielder Lane Thomas is 0-for-3 against Ober, but is hitting .317 (19-for-60) with five home runs and 16 RBIs in 16 games this month. He scored his second goal in four games on Tuesday.
–Field Level Media