New-look Twins have an old-look result, losing in 10 innings to Guardians

Bobby Nightengale, The Minnesota Star Tribune on Aug 1, 2025

Published in Baseball

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CLEVELAND — On the first day of the rest of the season, the new-look Twins had a familiar ending against the Cleveland Guardians: A walk-off loss.

Kody Funderburk, the fourth reliever out of the Twins bullpen Friday at Progressive Field, gave up a walk-off single to Kyle Manzardo with one out in the 10th inning. It was Manzardo’s second walk-off hit against the Twins this season, and teammates doused him with water bottles as he stood near second base.

The Twins have lost nine of their 13 games out of the All-Star break.

After trading 10 players from their major league roster at the trade deadline, the Twins promoted eight players before Friday’s game. The results against the Guardians, particularly in close games, was the same. The Guardians are 18-5 in their last 23 games decided by two or fewer runs against their division rival.

The Twins were gifted two runs to tie the score in the seventh inning. Brooks Lee hit a one-out single off lefty reliever Erik Sabrowski and Christian Vázquez was hit by a pitch. Two batters later, with two outs and Hunter Gaddis on the mound, Austin Martin hit a dribbler in front of the plate.

Gaddis made the ill-advised decision to fire a throw to first base, and the ball skipped past Gold Glove first baseman Carlos Santana into right field. Gaddis’ error allowed two runs to score, tying the game.

Guardians right-hander Gavin Williams struck out eight batters across six scoreless innings, permitting four hits. Left fielder Steven Kwan, whose name popped up in trade rumors before Thursday’s deadline, saved a run with his arm.

Lee drew a leadoff walk in the third inning, advanced to second on a groundout and was tossed out at the plate when Martin hit a two-out single to left field. Kwan’s throw was slightly off target, but catcher Bo Naylor made a quick tag on a sliding Lee for an inning-ending out.

The Twins left the bases loaded in the fourth inning on a Lee groundout.

Joe Ryan, who was subject to heavy trade rumors this week, permitted five hits and two runs across six innings. After Ryan surrendered an RBI single to Brayan Rocchio, the No. 9 batter in Cleveland’s lineup, during the second inning, he retired 14 of his final 15 batters.

Poor infield defense gave the Guardians an early lead. Kwan opened the first inning with a leadoff single. Two pitches later, Twins second baseman Edouard Julien bobbled a potential double play and was forced to settle for an out at first base.

José Ramírez, the next batter, followed with a ground-ball RBI single that snuck past first baseman Kody Clemens.

The Boston Red Sox had interest in Ryan at the trade deadline, but they didn’t come close to a deal. Ryan, who struck out four batters and walked one, has yielded two or fewer runs in eight of his last 10 starts.