Guardians snap 5-game losing streak with 5-1 win over Twins

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Gavin Williams pitched six strong innings and José Ramírez had three more hits to extend his hitting streak to 14 games as the Cleveland Guardians beat the Minnesota Twins 5-1 on Wednesday.

Steven Kwan was 3 for 5 with two doubles and Carlos Santana added his second home run of the day in the eighth inning as the Guardians snapped a five-game losing streak by earning a split on the day. Earlier Wednesday, the Twins won the completion of a suspended game 6-5 on Kody Clemens’ walk-off double.

Williams (4-2) finished with six strikeouts against two walks and two hits in six innings. He’s 2-0 with a 1.80 ERA in four May starts.

The Twins got on the board first as Willi Castro led off the third with a walk. Castro moved to second on an infield grounder and scored on Ryan Jeffers’ single, Minnesota’s first hit of the game.

Twins starter Chris Paddack (2-4) cruised through the first five innings without allowing a run. But Ramírez — who extended his hitting streak with a fourth-inning single — led off the sixth with another base hit. One out later Paddack walked back-to-back hitters to end his day.

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Chris Paddack (20) delivers during the first inning in the second baseball game of a doubleheader against the Cleveland Guardians, Wednesday, May 21, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Reliever Louis Varland came on and walked Gabriel Arias to bring home the tying run. Nolan Jones then hit a sacrifice fly to put the Guardians on top 2-1.

Paddack allowed two runs on seven hits with two walks and two strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings.

Key moment

With a steady but light rain falling, Varland and Arias had a nine-pitch battle in the sixth. Arias fouled off three straight two-strike pitches before taking a knuckle-curve just inches off the outside corner to earn his game-tying walk.

Key stat

Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Gavin Williams, left, pats first baseman Kyle Manzardo (9) after catching a pop-out to first hit by Minnesota Twins’ Royce Lewis to end the bottom of the first inning in the second baseball game of a doubleheader Wednesday, May 21, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Paddack has allowed two or fewer earned runs in seven of his last eight starts.

Up next

The Guardians visit Detroit on Thursday with RHP Tanner Bibee (3-4, 4.06 ERA) facing the Tigers’ Jack Flaherty (2-5, 4.44) Minnesota is back in action Friday when RHP Pablo López (4-2, 2.40) faces Kansas City LHP Noah Cameron (1-1, 0.71) at Target Field.