⚾ The Corner Rundown: Guardians 6, Twins 4 — May 8, 2026
Final Score: Cleveland Guardians 6, Minnesota Twins 4
Date: Friday, May 8, 2026
Location: Progressive Field — Cleveland, Ohio
The Guardians opened their weekend series against the Twins with a 6-4 win at Progressive Field, and the headline was easy: Travis Bazzana finally got his first big-league home run — and he made it count.
⭐ Key Performers
Travis Bazzana: First MLB home run, two stolen bases, two runs scored. His first-inning blast traveled 427 feet and gave Cleveland early control.
Parker Messick: 5.2 innings, one earned run, seven strikeouts. Another strong outing from the lefty, who improved to 4-1.
José Ramírez: Delivered a late insurance RBI when Minnesota started making things uncomfortable.
Cade Smith: Picked up his 11th save, working through traffic in the ninth to close it down.
🧾 Game Summary
Cleveland wasted no time jumping on Minnesota. The Guardians put together a four-run first inning, helped by a Twins defensive mistake and capped by Bazzana’s two-run homer — the first of his MLB career.
That early cushion held up because Messick was sharp. He kept Minnesota quiet for most of the night, mixing pitches well and avoiding the big inning until the Twins finally started pushing back late.
Byron Buxton made it interesting with a two-run homer in the seventh, cutting Cleveland’s lead to one. But the Guardians answered with insurance runs in the seventh and eighth, including a big late sequence from Bazzana on the bases.
It got tight in the ninth, but Smith finished it off and Cleveland walked away with a 6-4 win — their third straight victory.
📊 Notable Stats
- Travis Bazzana’s first MLB homer was a 427-foot two-run shot.
- Bazzana also stole two bases and scored twice.
- Parker Messick struck out seven and allowed just one earned run.
- Cade Smith earned his 11th save of the season.
- The Guardians improved to 21-19 with the win.
- The Twins fell to 16-23.
🎥 Watch the Highlights
💰 The Betting Corner
Previous Game Result vs. Spread: Cleveland was listed as a 1.5-run favorite against Minnesota on May 8. With the Guardians winning 6-4, they covered the -1.5 run line. The total was 7.5, and the final combined score was 10, so the over hit.
Upcoming Game Odds — May 9:
Moneyline: Guardians -116 | Twins -102
Run Line: Guardians +1.5 (-188) | Twins -1.5 (+155)
Total: 7.5 runs — Over -122 | Under +100
➡️ Next Game
Matchup: Minnesota Twins at Cleveland Guardians
Date: Saturday, May 9, 2026
Time: 6:10 p.m. ET
Location: Progressive Field — Cleveland, Ohio
Probable Starters: Tanner Bibee vs. Joe Ryan