Game result and context
Cleveland Guardians defeat Minnesota Twins 5-2 in 2026 regular season matchup
The Cleveland Guardians improved to 75-73 with a 5-2 win over the Minnesota Twins, who fell to 69-78. A three-run ninth inning broke a 2-2 tie to secure the victory for Cleveland.
Final result
The Cleveland Guardians defeated the Minnesota Twins 5-2 on September 11, 2026. The game remained competitive through the middle innings before the Guardians pulled away in the final frame.
The scoring began in the second inning when the Twins took a 1-0 lead. The Guardians responded in the seventh inning with two runs, while the Twins added one of their own to tie the game at 2-2. Cleveland ultimately decided the outcome with three runs in the top of the ninth inning.
Key performances
Angel Martínez led the Cleveland offense, finishing the game with two hits in four at-bats, including a two-run home run in the seventh inning. Brayan Rocchio also contributed significantly for the Guardians, driving in two runs on one hit.
On the mound, Cleveland's Parker Messick pitched 5.1 innings, allowing one earned run and striking out five batters. For Minnesota, Taj Bradley provided a strong start, throwing 6.0 scoreless innings while recording six strikeouts. Kaelen Culpepper and Royce Lewis each recorded an RBI for the Twins in the losing effort.
Season and playoff context
With this win, the Cleveland Guardians hold a 75-73 record, placing them second in their division, 0.5 games back. They currently occupy the third wild-card position. The Minnesota Twins fall to 69-78, sitting third in their division, 6.0 games back, and 5.5 games out of the final wild-card spot.
The Twins face an elimination number of 8 for division contention and 10 for wild-card contention, while the Guardians maintain an elimination number of 13.