Guardians score vs. Twins, Travis Bazzana hits 1st HR in Cleveland win

CLEVELAND — The Guardians return home to play the Minnesota Twins on Friday, May 8, to begin a nine-game homestand.

The Guardians won four of seven games on their last road trip, winning two out of three against the Athletics from May 1-3 and splitting a four-game series against the Royals from May 4-7.

This nine-game homestand features three games apiece against the Twins (May 8-10), Los Angeles Angels (May 11-13) and the Cincinnati Reds (May 15-17).

Follow along tonight for live updates.

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Cleveland Guardians home series vs. Minnesota Twins

May 8, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians second baseman Travis Bazzana (37) hits a home run during the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

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Cleveland Guardians home series vs. Minnesota Twins

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Cleveland Guardians home series vs. Minnesota Twins

May 8, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians second baseman Travis Bazzana (37) celebrates with third baseman Jose Ramirez (11) after hitting a home run during the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

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Cleveland Guardians home series vs. Minnesota Twins

May 8, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians second baseman Travis Bazzana (37) celebrates after hitting a home run during the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Guardians win 6-4 over Twins

The Guardians win 6-4 over the Twins. Cade Smith gets the save after allowing a run.

Byron Buxton singles to left, Austin Martin singles to right and Ryan Jeffers grounds into a 6-4-3 double play. Buxton scores on the DP. Smith ends the game with a strikeout of Josh Bell.

Cade Smith enters to pitch the ninth ining; Guardians lead Twins 6-3

Cade Smith enters to pitch the ninth ining with the Guardians leading the Twins 6-3.

Guardians lead Twins 6-3 through eight innings

Anthony Banda entered to pitch in the eighth inning for the Twins and the Guardians added to their lead.

David Fry singled to left to begin the inning and then was erased at second base on a ground ball that Travis Bazzana hit. Bazzana reached base on the fielder’s choice and stole second base. Banda hit Brayan Rocchio with a pitch. Bazzana and Rocchio executed a double-steal to advance to third and second base, respectively. Austin Hedges smacked a single off of Banda’s back that scored Bazzana and advanced Rocchio to third.

Petey Halpin hits into a fielder’s choice where he reaches base and Rocchio is out trying to score. Banda walks Steven Kwan and is lifted for Yoendrys Gomez, who gets Angel Martinez to ground out to end the inning.

Guardians lead Twins 5-3 going to the bottom of the eighth inning

Luke Keaschalll walks to leadoff the eighth inning against Colin Holderman. Tim Herrin enters to pitch and works around a single to get out of the inning.

Brooks Lee popped out against Herrin, Victor Caratini singled, Matt Wallner flied out and Royce Lewis grounded out to end the inning. Third baseman Jose Ramirez fielded Lewis’ grounder and threw the ball across to first baseman Rhys Hoskins for the out.

Guardians star José Ramírez singles home Steven Kwan, Guardians lead Twins 5-3 in the seventh

Guardians star José Ramírez singles home Steven Kwan to give the Guardians a 5-3 lead over the Twins in the seventh inning. That is hit No. 1,700 in Ramírez’s career.

Petey Halpin started the seventh with a ground out and then Kwan hits a double to left field. Kody Funderburk exited the game and Eric Orze entered to pitch. Orze got Angel Martinez to ground out ahead of the Ramirez RBI single.

Rhys Hoskins flied out to end the inning against Orze.

Twins star Byron Buxton hits home run off reliever Matt Festa to trim Guardians lead to 4-3 in seventh inning

Twins center fielder Byron Buxton hits a two-run home run over the fence in left-center field off of reliever Matt Festa to trim the Guardians lead to 4-3 in the seventh inning. The ball travled 400 feet. Royce Lewis scored on Buxton’s homer.

Festa struck out Matt Wallner swinging to begin the inning. Lewis singled to left, Buxton delivered his home run and Austin Martin singled. Colin Holderman then enters to pitch and records two outs to end the inning.

Holderman gets Ryan Jeffers strikeout looking and Josh Bell line out to Guardians right fielder Angel Martinez.

Kody Funderburk replaces Connor Prielipp on mound for Twins in sixth inning, retires Guardians in order

Kody Funderburk replaces Connor Prielipp on the mound for the Twins in the seventh inning and retires the Guardians 1-2-3. Travis Bazzana, Brayan Rocchio and Austin Hedges each ground out.

Matt Festa gets strikeout to end sixth inning; Guardians lead Twins 4-1

Matt Festa gets a strikeout on three pitches against Victor Caratini with the bases loaded to end sixth inning. The Guardians lead the Twins 4-1.

Matt Festa relieves Guardians starter Parker Messick in sixth inning with bases loaded

Matt Festa relieves Guardians starter Parker Messick in sixth inning with bases loaded.

Twins trim deficit to 4-1 against Guardians in sixth inning

The Twins trim their deficit to 4-1 against the Guardians in the sixth inning.

Parker Messick gets Bryon Buxton to strikeout swinging to begin the inning. Austin Martin hits a double to right field and Ryan Jeffers follows with a single to right field to score Martin. Josh Bell hits a single and then Luke Keaschall adds a single to center fielder Petey Halpin, who comes up throwing and cuts down Ryan Jeffers trying to score as catcher Austin Hedges applies the tag.Brooks Lee hits a single to load the bases against Messick.

Twins starter Connor Prielipp works around single, walk to retire Guardians in fifth inning

Twins starter Connor Prielipp worked around a single and a walk to retire the Guardians in the fifth inning. Steven Kwan flied out and Angel Martinez lined out to begin the inning. Jose Ramirez singled up the middle, Rhys Hoskins walked and David Fry hit into a fielder’s choice that resulted in Royce Lewis grabbing the ball and running to third base to force out Ramirez and end the inning.

Guardians starter Parker Messick works around single to retire Twins in fifth inning

Guardians starter Parker Messick worked around a leadoff single by Brooks Lee to retire the Twins in the fifth inning. Messick struck out Victor Caratini after the single. Matt Wallner hit into a fielder’s choice that resulted in Jose Ramirez throwing the ball to Brayan Rocchio and getting Lee out. Royce Lewis then grounded out 5-3 (Jose Ramirez to Rhys Hoskins) to end the inning.

Twins starter Connor Prielipp works around single to retire Guardians in fourth inning

Twins starter Connor Prielipp worked around a one-out single by Brayan Rocchio to retire the Guardians in the fourth inning. Prielipp struck out Travis Bazzana looking, got Austin Hedges to pop out and Petey Halpin to ground out to end the inning.

Guardians starter Parker Messick works around walk to retire Twins in fourth inning

Guardians starter Parker Messick worked around a one-out walk to Ryan Jeffers to retire the Twins in the fourth inning. Austin Martin lined out to Steven Kwan in left field, Josh Bell struck out swinging and Luke Keaschall flied to Petey Halpin in center field to end the inning.

Twins starter Connor Prielipp retires Guardians in order in third inning

Twins starter Connor Prielipp retired the Guardians in order in the third inning. Jose Ramirez grounded out and then Prielipp struck out Rhys Hoskins and David Fry looking to end the inning.

Guardians starter Parker Messick retires Twins in order in third inning

Guardians starter Parker Messick retired the Twins in order in the third inning. Messick struck out Matt Wallner swinging and then Royce Lewis and Byron Buxton both flied out to end the inning.

Twins starter Connor Prielipp works around walk to retire Guardians in second inning

Twins starter Connor Prielipp worked around a two-out walk to Steven Kwan to retire the Guardians in the second inning. Prielipp struck out Austin Hedges looking, Petey Halpin swinging and Angel Martinez swinging in the inning.

Guardians starter Parker Messick retires Twins in order in second inning

Guardians starter Parker Messick retired the Twins in order in the second inning. Luke Keaschall and Brooks Lee both flied out and Messick struck out Victor Caratini swinging to end the inning.

Cleveland Guardians' Travis Bazzana hits a home run against the Minnesota Twins on May 8, 2026, in Cleveland.

Cleveland Guardians’ Travis Bazzana hits a home run against the Minnesota Twins on May 8, 2026, in Cleveland.

Travis Bazzana hits first home run of MLB career to give Guardians 4-0 lead over Twins in first inning

Travis Bazzana hit the first home run of his MLB career to give the Guardians a 4-0 lead over the Twins in the first inning against starting pitcher Connor Prielipp.

José Ramírez scored on Bazzana’s home run over the right-center field fence. The count was 1-1 and the ball traveled 427 feet.

Guardians lead Twins 2-0 in first inning

Steven Kwan leads off the first inning with a single up the middle, advances to second when Angel Martinez is hit by a pitch and scores when Twins second baseman Luke Keaschall is unable to field a gound ball that José Ramírez hit.

Rhys Hoskins follows with a sacrifice fly that scores Martinez to give the Guardians a 2-0 lead.

Guardians starter Parker Messick works around double to retire Twins in first inning

Guardians starter Parker Messick worked around a leadoff double by Byron Buxton to retire the Twins in the first inning. Buxton doubled to left field, Austin Martin grounded out and then Messick struck out Ryan Jeffers and Josh Bell swinging to end the inning.

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