Twins fall to Guardians as Pablo López's error starts an uprising

Phil Miller, Star Tribune on Apr 30, 2025

Published in Baseball

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CLEVELAND — Pablo López’s pitching was sensational Wednesday night. But that same pitching arm was largely to blame for the Twins’ 4-2 loss to the Guardians.

That’s because when former Twin Carlos Santana’s lunging swing at a López change-up in the seventh inning produced a high chopper about 40 feet up the third base line, the Twins right-hander grabbed it and threw it behind Santana’s back, where first baseman Ty France couldn’t reach it. The ball ricocheted off the wall in foul territory and Jose Ramirez scored the game’s first run from second base, setting off a four-run inning that wouldn’t have happened if López had thrown Santana out.

It was the eighth error charged to a Twins pitcher, more than any other team’s staff, and the third time this year that the error had led directly to a Twins loss.

Brock Stewart relieved López after the error, and he issued a walk, then struck out Daniel Schneemann for what would have been the third out if not for the error.

The Guardians put the extra out to good use: The next batter, Bo Naylor, hit a Stewart change-up into the front row in right field, a three-run homer that doomed the Twins to their second straight loss at Progressive Field.

The loss wasn’t all López’s fault, of course, not given the Twins’ sudden loss of offense. After scoring 11 runs in Monday’s victory, the Twins have scored one run in each of the next two games, both times on a solo home run. France reached the seats Tuesday, and Brooks Lee connected in the eighth inning Wednesday; the other 16 innings have been an exercise in frustration.

Just like Tuesday, the Twins didn’t manage a hit with runners in scoring position, but this time it was because they rarely had the chance. The Twins had six hits on the night, five singles and Lee’s homer, and only in the ninth inning did they have two runners on base at the same time.

With the game still scoreless, Byron Buxton beat out an infield hit with two outs in the sixth inning, then stole his 100th career base. Naylor’s throw bounced into center field, allowing Buxton to advance to third base, but Carlos Correa took a third strike to end the Twins’ “threat.”

In the ninth inning, Trevor Larnach and Ryan Jeffers singled, and Larnach scored on Cleveland closer Emmanuel Clase’s wild pitch. But Clase struck out Kody Clemens to end the game.