Willi Castro provides Twins some insurance in win over Guardians

Castro hit a two-out, two-run homer to support a strong day from the Twins pitching staff.

Minnesota Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers (27) scores in the third inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field in Cleveland on Sept. 17, 2024. / David Richard-Imagn Images

The Twins saw a one-run lead disappear in the eighth inning of Monday night’s game against the Cleveland Guardians. Willi Castro made sure they didn’t run into the same problem Tuesday.

Castro hit a two-out, two-run homer in the eighth inning to provide the Twins some insurance runs in a much-needed 4-1 victory over the division-leading Cleveland Guardians Tuesday night at Progressive Field in Cleveland. Matt Wallner drove in the other pair of runs with a pair of RBI singles. 

The win cuts the Twins’ deficit in the American League Central to 6.5 games, but more importantly, it puts them two games ahead of the Detroit Tigers, who were still playing the Kansas City Royals at the time of publication, for the final American League wild-card spot.

Zebby Matthews turned in a short but strong start, his lone blemish being a 424-foot, game-tying solo homer to Lane Matthews in the fourth inning. Zebby Matthews gave up just the one run off five hits in all while fanning three across his 4 2/3 innings of work, and the bullpen backed him up.

It was one of the better performances from the bullpen in recent memory for the Twins (80-71). Cole Irvin, whom the Twins claimed off waivers from the Baltimore Orioles on Monday, made his debut with his new team out of the bullpen a day later on Tuesday, quickly getting the final out of the fifth inning.

Cole Sands pitched a 1-2-3 sixth inning, Ronny Henriquez threw a scoreless seventh inning, Jhoan Duran sent the Guardians (87-64) down in order in the eighth inning, but gave up a leadoff double to Jose Ramirez before striking striking out Josh Naylor and walking Lane Thomas in the ninth inning.

That made it redemption time for Griffin Jax, who gave up the go-ahead homer a night earlier. Jax struck out David Fry, and while Will Brennan reached on an infield single the next at-bat, Jax got Naylor to ground out to the mound to close out the game and pick up his ninth save of the season.

Sands got the win and improved to 9-1 on the year.

Guardians starter Gavin Williams gave up just two runs off five hits while fanning seven across his five innings of work. Williams fell to 3-10 on the season with the loss. 

The Twins took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on Wallner’s RBI single that scored Ryan Jefferson, who led off with an infield single and was advanced when Byron Buxton was walked. After Lane Matthews’ homer tied it in the fourth inning, Wallner plated the go-ahead run with another RBI single in the fifth.

The bullpen held it there until Castro provided the Twins some insurance in a crucial victory.

The two teams meet for the third of their four-game series at 5:40 p.m. on Wednesday.