The Twins simply cannot buy a victory in a close game in Cleveland in recent years.
After a rain delay of more than two hours, they lost 4-3 on a walk-off single by the Guardians’ Angel Martinez in the tenth inning of Thursday’s series finale. Remarkably, it’s Minnesota’s second walk-off loss at Progressive Field in the last three days, fifth in the last calendar year, and tenth since the start of the 2021 season. In that five-year span, the Twins have just three walk-off wins over the Guardians at Target Field.
Twins.TV announcer Cory Provus had an understandable hint of exasperation and incredulity in his voice as he called the team’s latest crushing defeat in Cleveland.
“The Guardians do it again,” Provus said. “4-3, another walk-off win here in Cleveland. It’s amazing. Year after year, we see the same finish at this ballpark. Despite the rain delays, it doesn’t change. The Guardians walk off the Twins yet again and take three out of four in this series.”
The numbers are hard to wrap your head around.
“I’m speechless,” said analyst Denard Span, a former Twins outfielder. “Like you said, it’s amazing, unbelievable, just the way this Cleveland Guardians team has a knack for winning these close ballgames. As much as you don’t want to, you gotta give them credit for honing in in tight situations, making pitches and getting big hits and making big-time plays when it matters.”
