CLEVELAND — Edouard Julien found, perhaps, the most effective way to keep the Twins’ momentum going on Monday, depositing the first pitch of the game, a fastball up in the zone, into greenery in center field. And the Twins were off and running.
Fresh off a homestand in which they won five of six games and facing some tougher competition, the Twins couldn’t be slowed on Monday night, ousting the Guardians 11-1 in the series opener at Progressive Field in Cleveland.
Julien’s home run was one of four runs the Twins scored in the first two innings as they took command early.
Shortstop Carlos Correa, who just days earlier lamented that his swing “sucks right now,” had singles in both innings, scoring in the first. He now has multiple hits in three consecutive games.
Byron Buxton drove in a pair of runs, and Ryan Jeffers brought home three — two on his first home run of the season, which came off of a position player in the eighth inning.
Recently-acquired infielder Jonah Bride had three hits, and Mickey Gasper added two, driving in a run. All told, every position player who started the game finished with at least one hit as the Twins went off for a season-high 17.
It was more than enough for Bailey Ober, who pitched into the eighth inning, marking the second straight game that a Twins starter has completed seven innings.
The starter allowed just one run, which came as part of a three-hit fifth inning for the Guardians, following a long layoff after a top of the fifth during which there was an injury delay and the Twins themselves scored a pair of runs.
Ober recorded just two strikeouts, but he got plenty of groundballs, working efficiently through the Guardians’ lineup.
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