Kyle Manzardo's Homer Brings Guardians All the Way Back for 4-3 Win Over Twins

Cleveland Explodes for Four Runs in Eighth Inning

Manzardo's homer was his second of the season.

Kyle Manzardo's eighth-inning homer off reliever Emilio Pagán proved to be the difference in Wednesday night's game at Target Field, as the Guardians rallied for four runs in the frame after trailing by one.

The homer, which came with two runners on, gave the Guardians a 4-3 lead. It was Manzardo's second homer of the season, and it came at a crucial time in the game. The Guardians had been trailing 3-0 since the second inning, and they had just tied the game in the top of the eighth on a two-run double by Amed Rosario.

The Guardians' bullpen, which had been shaky in recent games, came up big in the eighth. Nick Sandlin, Sam Hentges, and Eli Morgan combined to retire the final six Twins batters in order, with Morgan striking out two in a perfect ninth to earn his first save of the season.

Guardians Avoid a Costly Sweep

The win was a big one for the Guardians, who avoided a costly sweep at the hands of the Twins. The Guardians had lost the first two games of the series, and a sweep would have been a major blow to their playoff hopes.

Instead, the Guardians salvaged a split of the series and moved to 68-63 on the season. They remain in contention for a wild-card berth, and they will look to continue their winning ways when they open a four-game series against the Chicago White Sox on Thursday night.

Bullpen Bounces Back

After a rough outing in Tuesday night's loss, the Guardians' bullpen bounced back in a big way on Wednesday night. Sandlin, Hentges, and Morgan combined to throw 3 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and striking out four.

The bullpen's strong performance was a key factor in the Guardians' victory. The Guardians' starters have been struggling lately, and the bullpen has been called upon to pick them up more often than usual.

The Guardians' bullpen has been one of the best in baseball this season, and they showed why on Wednesday night. They will need to continue to perform at a high level if the Guardians are going to make a run at the playoffs.