The Minnesota Twins pulled off a miracle in Cleveland on Saturday night, somehow winning a 2-1 thriller in 11 innings despite managing just two hits all game. Yes, you read that right — two hits in eleven innings, and they still walked away with a victory at Progressive Field.
Byron Buxton got things started in style, launching a leadoff home run to left field in a rain-delayed contest. The blast, his 13th of the season, would prove to be the only offense the Twins could muster for a very long time. After Buxton's heroics, the bats went silent — completely silent, in fact, for the next ten innings.
That left starting pitcher Joe Ryan and the bullpen with a monumental task: make a single run stand up against a tough Cleveland lineup. Ryan nearly undid all the good work in the fourth inning, when future Hall of Famer Jose Ramirez singled, stole second base, and scored on a Kyle Manzardo single to tie the game. But Ryan battled through a bases-loaded jam, striking out Angel Martinez and Austin Hedges to escape with the game still tied.
The Twins' offense remained in hibernation. Guardians starter Tanner Bibee was dominant, striking out nine over six innings while allowing just that one hit. Relievers Hunter Gaddis and Colin Holderman continued the shutdown, combining to keep Minnesota hitless for the remainder of regulation.
But the Twins' pitching staff refused to break. Ryan matched Bibee's brilliance after that rocky fourth, and the bullpen took over from there. Taylor Rogers worked two scoreless innings, and Yoendrys Gomez retired Rhys Hoskins to send the game to extra innings locked at 1-1.
Finally, in the 11th inning, the Twins scratched across a run without the benefit of a hit — a walk, a sacrifice bunt, and a groundout brought home the winning run. The bullpen closed it out, and Minnesota walked away with one of the strangest wins you'll ever see.
Sometimes baseball doesn't make sense. On this rainy Saturday night in Cleveland, the Twins proved that you don't need hits to win — you just need heart, pitching, and a little bit of magic.
