MINNEAPOLIS — Matt Wallner let it fly and Royce Lewis let out a guttural roar. Perhaps no moment that occurred during a wild Friday at Target Field better exemplified the spirit within the Minnesota Twins’ clubhouse than one young slugger’s reaction to his fellow power hitter’s jaw-dropping heroics. Advertisement Standing in the on-deck circle in the bottom of the fifth inning, Lewis exploded with delight when Wallner connected for a backbreaking, three-run home run that lifted the Twins to a 6-3 win over the Cleveland Guardians in front of 28,605.
The team’s comeback victory in the nightcap not only enabled the Twins to sweep a doubleheader from the first-place Guardians, but it also demonstrated the perseverance of a team that only 12 hours earlier announced a series of catastrophic injuries that potentially harm its chances of repeating as American League Central champion. After Brock Stewart ’s announcement he’ll have season-ending surgery and the possible end of Joe Ryan ’s season, Lewis said the Twins, who won the opener 4-2, “out-baseballed” Cleveland for 18 innings to move within 1 1/2 games of first place. “A tough morning,” Wallner said.
“But I feel like we carry the torch and felt good with where we’re at regardless. ..
. You never want to dwell on anything. It’s definitely a big loss.
But just going out and winning two shows you what we can do, even on a tough day.” Only minutes before Wallner’s big blast, the Twins faced their thi.