Will Brennan hit a three-run homer off Jhoan Duran with two outs in a wild ninth inning, giving the Cleveland Guardians a 5-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Sunday.
The inning seemed to be over one batter earlier when Andrés Giménez was called out at second while advancing on a wild pitch, but a crew-chief-initiated video review ruled him safe. Josh Naylor was intentionally walked for Duran (0-2) to face Brennan.
Brennan saw a first-pitch curveball and belted it over the wall in right, completing a three-game series sweep by the AL Central-leading Guardians.
“I’ve been in that situation all year and haven’t taken advantage of it, so I kind of took it personally when they walked Nails,” Brennan said. “That’s what he always tells me to do and it paid off. I got a good pitch and ripped one.”
Minnesota had trailed 2-1 with two outs and no one on base in the ninth but pushed across the tying run without a hit against All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase (3-1).
Ryan Jeffers was hit by a pitch, Willi Castro reached on a fielder’s choice, and pinch runner Byron Buxton came around from second when Clase dropped a throw from Naylor on a potential game-ending grounder to first by Alex Kirilloff.
“You’ve just got to be an athlete and make a play,” Buxton said. “I glanced up and saw I was closer to home than third when (Naylor) picked the ball up. I wouldn’t say I deked him into going to third, but I think I made him think I was staying there.”
The Twins, who have lost a season-high six straight, were outscored 19-8 in the series at Progressive Field. Duran said he wanted to throw a fastball to Brennan in the ninth, but didn’t shake off catcher Christian Vázquez when he called for a curve.