Bo Naylor went 2-for-4 and tied a career high with four RBIs as the Cleveland Guardians pulled away for a 6-2 win over the Minnesota Twins on Friday night in Minneapolis.
Jose Ramirez doubled and notched his 40th stolen base of the season for Cleveland (82-71), which won the series opener. The Guardians posted their eighth victory in a row and moved within 2 1/2 games of the Detroit Tigers for first place in the American League Central.
Royce Lewis finished 2-for-4 and drove in the lone run for Minnesota (66-87). Luke Keaschall hit a double, which marked the Twins’ only extra-base hit.
Guardians right-hander Jakob Junis (4-1) struck out four batters in two scoreless innings to earn the victory out of the bullpen. He was one of three relief pitchers to follow Parker Messick, who allowed two runs on five hits in 5 1/3 innings.
Twins right-hander Cole Sands (4-6) gave up two runs on two hits in two-thirds of an inning. He and three others followed Pablo Lopez, who allowed two runs on three hits in four innings.
Lopez exited early because of tightness in his right forearm. The injury apparently happened on a defensive play as Lopez dived for a ground ball in the third inning.
The score was tied at two in the eighth when Naylor put the Guardians on top for good.
Cleveland had nobody on and two outs in the eighth when Ramirez battled through an eight-pitch at-bat that ended with a double to right. Kyle Manzardo drew an intentional walk, and Ramirez and Manzardo each swiped a base to put runners on second and third for Naylor.
Naylor delivered with a line-drive single to right field to drive in both runners and make it 4-2.
Cleveland tacked on two more runs in the ninth.
David Fry hit a leadoff single and advanced to second on a wild pitch by Twins reliever Michael Tonkin. Three batters later, Fry scored on a double to left by Steven Kwan.
Angel Martinez doubled in the next at-bat to drive in Kwan and increase Cleveland’s lead to 6-2.
