The Cleveland Guardians kept their magical run alive on Saturday, sweeping the Minnesota Twins in a twin bill and stretching their win streak to 10. Once left for dead, buried 15½ games back in July, Cleveland has stormed back to an 84-71 record, now breathing down the neck of the stumbling Detroit Tigers, just a game shy of the AL Central’s throne.
Saturday was a masterclass, where arms painted zeros and bats struck in perfect rhythm. In the opener, rookie Slade Cecconi threw seven shutout innings, holding Minnesota to two hits while striking out eight in a 6-0 win. Logan Allen followed in the nightcap with a career-best performance, tossing eight scoreless innings with seven strikeouts and just four hits allowed, earning his first victory since July 29. The Guardians outscored Minnesota 14-0 across the two contests, marking their 21st consecutive scoreless inning against the Twins.
Cleveland’s offense exploded in the fifth inning of the second game. After being limited to one hit through four frames by Bailey Ober, the Guardians sent 10 batters to the plate. Steven Kwan opened the scoring with a two-run single, followed by RBI hits from Kyle Manzardo and C.J. Kayfus, along with a two-run double from Gabriel Arias. Kwan later added another two-run single in the eighth, finishing with four RBIs to tie his season high. Petey Halpin, making his Major League debut, contributed with his first career hit and scored twice.
The Cleveland rotation has been the backbone of their turnaround. Since September 5, Cleveland starters have allowed two earned runs or fewer in 15 straight games, the longest such streak in franchise history. In the current 10-game winning streak, the Guardians have outscored opponents 48-13 while dropping only one series in September.
In Cleveland's charge, Jose Ramirez has been the engine at the heart of the lineup, driving the team with his all-around brilliance. This season, he’s reached rarefied territory with 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases, becoming the first Guardian ever to post three separate 30-30 campaigns. He is also the only player in franchise history with back-to-back seasons of at least 30 homers and 40 steals. Ramírez joins Juan Soto and Jazz Chisholm Jr. as the only members of MLB’s 30-30 club in 2025.
The Detroit collapse has opened the door for Cleveland. Tigers, who led the Guardians by 15½ games on July 8, have now dropped five straight and eight of their last nine, including a crushing 6-5 loss to Atlanta on Saturday. The Tigers’ once-commanding lead has dwindled to just one game with seven contests left.
The Guardians will look to complete a three-game sweep of the Twins on Sunday, then head home for a three-game series showdown with the Tigers at Progressive Field.
