MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Steven Kwan hit a home run on the second pitch of the game and Bo Naylor also hit a home run for the Cleveland Guardian in the 2-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Saturday night, it ended their season-long seven-loss streak and gave them some space in the increasingly tight AL Central race.

Cleveland extended its lead over reigning division champion Minnesota to 2 1/2 games, ending its longest losing streak since April 22-28, 2022, when starter Gavin Williams (2-4) gave the Guardians six strong innings on just the right night.

Williams caught the attention of manager Stephen Vogt with his performance before the game against the Twins won a doubleheader to start the series.

“I could tell he was ready. The way he got on the bus, the way he came here, it just seemed like a different demeanor from him,” Vogt said. “Not that it’s normally bad, but today was just something different. Man, he was special.”

Williams allowed one run on four hits and no walks in his best of eight starts this year.

“He’s got good stuff,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “When he throws most of his pitches in the zone and forces you to swing, it’s tough.”

Kwan, the All-Star and Gold Glove left fielder who has been a catalyst as a leadoff player, hit a fastball from Simeon Woods Richardson into the seats above right-center field for his 11th home run, matching his total from his first two seasons in the Major leagues.

“It electrified the team,” said Vogt. “It got everyone involved.”

Woods Richardson (3-3) was just as good as Williams, going a career-high seven innings and allowing only two baserunners – both singles – in addition to the home runs. The rookie threw just 89 pitches.

“This is exactly what we expected from him,” Baldelli said. “He gave it to us.”

The Twins also played excellent defense behind him: First baseman Carlos Santana and second baseman Austin Martin were each able to make two dives, and third baseman Jose Miranda followed up a foul popup with a basket catch and turned his back to the infield.

But the two costly throws to Kwan and Naylor were uncatchable. Naylor’s ninth home run on a first-pitch fastball opened the sixth inning before the Twins answered in the bottom of the inning with a leadoff double by Willi Castro. He scored after two groundouts, but Williams held on to the lead.

“That’s my job, to get out of innings like that,” Williams said.

From there, Cleveland’s bullpen took over, with Cade Smith, Hunter Gaddis and Emmanuel Clase each throwing a perfect inning. Clase earned his 34th save in 37 attempts, second most in the major leagues, and has converted 22 consecutive opportunities.

Kwan struck out Ryan Jeffers on a rare forced play at third base from left field, providing the first out of the third inning. With runners on first and second base, Castro hit a potential clean single. But Kwan made it look like he was going to catch the ball until he stopped at the last second, forcing Jeffers to make a late start.

“It’s just an awkward game,” Jeffers said. “I’m standing right in front of him, looking right at him, I can’t focus too much on it. It just needs all the right ingredients to happen.”

Next

Guardians: RHP Tanner Bibee (9-4, 3.48 ERA) pitches the final game of the series, 12 days after his last start. He was removed from the rotation to rest a sore shoulder.

Twins: RHP David Festa (2-2, 5.55 ERA) is on the mound Sunday. The rookie is coming off his best of four career starts when he threw five shutout innings against the Chicago Cubs on Monday.

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