Pablo López’s strong start spoiled late as Twins fall to Guardians

CLEVELAND Pablo L pez threw pitches on Wednesday but it was the last ball to leave his hand that the starting pitcher would like back the majority of Locked in a scoreless tournament L pez fielded a slow tapper and slung the ball well past first baseman Ty France allowing Guardians star Jos Ram rez to sum all the way from second That play ended Lopez s night The inning further unraveled when -year-old Carlos Santana took off from first and catcher Ryan Jeffers attempted throw to second hit reliever Brock Stewart on his non-throwing elbow Santana advanced to third on a wild pitch and after a walk to Gabriel Arias Bo Naylor launched a three-run home run to put the Twins in a - hole The Twins added a couple of late runs Wednesday but fell - at Progressive Field in a encounter that got away after six innings of a pitchers duel L pez cruised through the first six innings allowing just two hits a pair of doubles to batters he stranded He had little run patronage to speak of though because while L pez was dealing for the Twins so too was Guardians starter Luis Ortiz Trevor Larnach got the only Twins hit through the first five innings and he was fleetly wiped off the basepaths by a double play Byron Buxton who hit an infield single and advanced to third on a stolen base the th of his career and error represented the Twins first runner in scoring position and that didn t happen until the sixth The Twins who scored just a lone run a day earlier got on the board in the eighth with a solo home run from Brooks Lee They scored a run an inning later too off Cleveland closer Emmanuel Close but that was the closest they d get Cleveland Guardians Jose Ramirez right scores as Minnesota Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers takes the throw in the seventh inning of a baseball challenge in Cleveland Wednesday April AP Photo Sue Ogrocki Minnesota Twins Carlos Correa lies on the ground after falling over while backing away from a pitch in the sixth inning of a baseball match against the Cleveland Guardians in Cleveland Wednesday April AP Photo Sue Ogrocki