Guardians Win Series, Hold Wild-Card Lead

The Cleveland Guardians won two of three games against the Minnesota Twins, including the series opener 5-2, but lost Sunday’s finale 9-2. Cleveland’s opener featured three ninth-inning runs, including Angel Martínez’s two-run homer earlier and a decisive double, while the Guardians also won Saturday’s game 4-3 behind Emmanuel Rodriguez’s home run in his first career at-bat and four hitless bullpen innings. The Twins fell 5 1/2 games behind Cleveland for the final American League wild-card spot with 13 games remaining after losing four of their last five series against AL Central opponents. Royce Lewis left Sunday’s loss with left shoulder soreness, adding to Minnesota’s late-season concerns, while Cleveland remains in contention for the playoffs and the AL Central title. The Guardians entered a decisive three-game series against the division-leading White Sox with a slim lead over Toronto for the final wild-card position.