CLEVELAND – Andres Gimenez hit home a single from second base off Jose Ramirez in the 10th inning as the Cleveland Guardians clinched a playoff spot in dramatic and dignified fashion with a 3-2 win over the Minnesota Twins on Thursday.
With Ramirez as the automatic runner at second base, Minnesota relief pitcher Caleb Thielbar (2-4) struck out Josh Naylor and the Twins intentionally walked Lane Thomas to face Gimenez, who had three hits.
Cleveland’s second baseman then hit a 3-2 pitch to right that easily scored Ramirez.
As the All-Star third baseman rounded third base, Cleveland’s dugout emptied onto the field in celebration as the Guardians recorded their 42nd comeback win and second consecutive extra-inning victory to lead the MLB.
“That’s us,” Gimenez said. “That’s the Cleveland Guardians.”
The Guardians are the second AL team to qualify for the postseason after the New York Yankees, who clinched a spot on Wednesday night.
Cleveland now has a chance to end the longest drought in baseball history without a World Series title, dating back to 1948, when the team was still known as the “Indians.”
“The goal is to get in,” said Stephen Vogt, the new manager. “If you get in, you have a chance.”
The Twins were dangerous in the 10th inning, loading the bases with one out against Eli Morgan (3-0), but the right-hander got out of the jam by taking out Carlos Correa with a foul pop and Byron Buxton with a liner to right.
Cleveland’s bullpen, which carried the team all season, totaled 5⅔ hitless innings.
“They have the best bullpen in the league for a reason and they prove it every time,” Minnesota’s Matt Wallner said.
Rookie Kyle Manzardo hit a home run for the Guardians, lowering the magic number to win the AL Central title to three.
The Twins, who are trying to retain a wild card, were eliminated by Detroit in a battle for the last spot. The Twins have the tiebreaker.
It was an unexpected season for the Guardians, who went 76-86 last season and said goodbye to popular manager Terry Francona after 11 years. They expected to be competitive but not one of the best teams in baseball.
But under the new coach Vogt, who had not even filled out a lineup before spring training, everything fell into place.
In the dizzying excitement after the game in the locker room, Vogt was presented with a championship belt by catcher Austin Hedges before all the Guardians showered their manager with champagne and beer.
“He is one of the most extraordinary people I have ever met, not only as a manager but as a man,” said Hedges, who renewed his contract with Cleveland after winning the World Series in Texas last season. “He is a leader of men.”
“We’ve had one of the best managers in baseball history for a long time, and I love Terry Francona with all my heart. But this was probably the best managerial year I’ve ever experienced in my entire life.”
Cleveland took control of the division in mid-April and the Guardians have been in sole possession of first place every day for the past five months except one.
And while All-Stars Ramirez, Naylor, Steven Kwan and Emmanuel Clase led the way, contributions from young players across the roster helped keep Cleveland consistently one of the league’s best teams.
The Guardians had to cope with the loss of their top player Shane Bieber in the early weeks of the season, and Vogt spent most of the season filling gaps in his rotation due to injuries and ineffectiveness.
Cleveland’s rookie Joey Cantillo, who had allowed just one run in 12 innings in his first two starts, was kept out for the first four innings. But in the fifth inning, the Twins scored twice against the left-hander and took a 2-1 lead thanks to Manuel Margot’s double.
The Guardians tied the score in the sixth inning on Brayan Rocchio’s sacrifice fly.
Manzardo gave the Guardians a 1-0 lead in the first with his fourth home run and second in three days. Manzardo finished with three hits and since being recalled from Triple-A Columbus on Sept. 1, he has a batting average (15-for-42) with four home runs and seven RBIs in 16 games.
