Twins Fall 6-2 to Guardians as Penning’s Dream Debut Ends

The Minnesota Twins showed up at Target Field ready to celebrate their ace, Pablo López. But the night ended with a letdown as they lost 6-2 to the Cleveland Guardians.

López had to leave early with a forearm strain. That injury threw a wrench into the team’s plans and killed their momentum.

The rest of the game? It was a mess. The offense stalled, chances slipped away, and the bullpen just couldn’t hold it together.

Pablo López’s Night Cut Short

Optimism was high at first, but things fell apart fast. López walked a batter and then gave up a two-run single to Bo Naylor in the opening inning, handing Cleveland an early lead.

He flashed some of his usual stuff, but something was off. Fans fell quiet when he signaled to the dugout, rubbing his forearm after a defensive play.

An Early Exit Changes the Game

López left after just 61 pitches. Suddenly, Minnesota’s bullpen had to cover eight innings—way more than they’d planned.

Cody Lawyerson and Kody Funderburk did their best, but the rest of the relievers just couldn’t keep up under the pressure.

Missed Chances and Offensive Struggles

The Twins’ hitters never figured out rookie Parker Messick. His command and movement kept them guessing all night.

Strikeouts piled up, snuffing out any hope for rallies. Even with a few fun moments from the radio booth, the mood on the field stayed pretty bleak.

The Brief Sixth-Inning Spark

Finally, in the sixth, Austin Martin reached on an error, advanced on a double, and tied the game at 2-2 after a wild pitch. The crowd actually felt some hope for a minute.

Royce Lewis stole a base, amping up the pressure. But the Twins left the go-ahead run stranded, and just like that, the moment vanished.

Guardians Break It Open Late

Things got away from Minnesota in the eighth. José Ramírez stole third, forcing the Twins to issue an intentional walk to Naylor.

Naylor made them pay, driving in two runs and putting Cleveland up 4-2. That was the turning point, honestly.

Ninth-Inning Insurance Runs

After that, it just snowballed. Cleveland added two more in the ninth with RBI singles from Brayan Rocchio and Steven Kwan.

By the end, the Guardians had locked up a 6-2 win. The Twins left the field looking for answers, and maybe a bit of luck.

Key Takeaways from the Loss

Now the Twins have some big questions to answer. López’s injury could shake up the rotation, and the offense still can’t seem to find any rhythm.

• López’s injury might mean a trip to the IL, which would really test the pitching depth.
• The bullpen is unpredictable—Lawyerson and Funderburk looked solid, but late-inning meltdowns ruined their work.
• Offensive output just isn’t there, especially when facing lefties. It’s getting tough to watch at times.

Looking Ahead

The Twins have to regroup, and fast. Joe Ryan gets the ball next, and honestly, fans want to see him settle things down for the rotation.

Minnesota’s lineup needs to figure out how to push runs across, especially against tough starters. That’s the only way they’ll hang around in the AL Central.

It’s just one rough night, but man, it stings. An injury to a big-name pitcher, missed chances at the plate, and the bullpen running into trouble—sometimes baseball just turns on you that fast.

 
Here is the source article for this story: Guardians 6, Twins 2: Penning down a dream