AROUND THE HORN

Guardians:

Andrés Giménez hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning and the Guardians beat the Twins 5-3 on Thursday in Cleveland for their second straight walk-off win. Giménez went deep to center on a 3-2 pitch from Tyler Thornburg (0-2) as the Twins’ bullpen imploded again. José Ramírez drew a leadoff walk, the 10th allowed by the Twins. Josh Naylor’s groundout moved Ramírez to second and Owen Miller flied out. Giménez followed with his game-winner, sending Guardians players out of the dugout in celebration for the second day in a row. The Guardians lead the majors with 17 last at-bats wins, including six against their American League Central rivals. The Twins failed to hold a 6-3 lead in the 10th inning Wednesday night, when the Guardians scored four times and won the game on Naylor’s two-run homer. Emilio Pagán and Jharel Cotton couldn’t hold the lead, and the Twins’ bullpen problems returned less than 24 hours later. The Twins outhomered the Guardians 10-2 in the series. The Guardians won three of five in the series and trail the division-leading Twins by a game. The teams don’t meet again until September. The Twins took a 3-1 lead into the eighth and four pitchers were working on a one-hitter. Thornburg retired the first batter but hit Giménez with a pitch and walked Franmil Reyes and Sandy León to load the bases. Shortstop Carlos Correa made a diving stop of Myles Straw’s grounder. Giménez scored and Reyes came home when Correa threw wildly to third to tie the game. Pinch runner Ernie Clement was tagged out trying to score on Steven Kwan’s ground ball and Amed Rosario fouled out to end the inning. Emmanuel Clase (2-2) pitched the ninth. Starter Chris Archer gave up a two-out single to Ramírez, a line drive over the right-hander’s head that saw the pitcher sitting on the mound after he ducked to get out of the way. Archer walked four straight hitters with two outs in the second, including a free pass to Kwan with the bases loaded. Archer was pulled after throwing 90 pitches in four innings. He walked six and struck out two. José Miranda had a threerun double in the third for the Twins. Shane Bieber allowed five hits, struck out five and walked two in six innings.

Rays: LHP Brooks Raley and RHP Ryan Thompson were placed on the restricted list before opening a fivegame series against the Blue Jays in Toronto. The Rays added RHPs Javy Guerra and Phoenix Sanders from Triple-A Durham. To enter the country, the Canadian government requires a person to have received a second COVID-19 vaccine dose — or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine — at least 14 days before entry. Unvaccinated players go on the restricted list because they aren’t paid and don’t accrue major league service time, according to a March agreement between Major League Baseball and the players’ association. Springs had been set to start against the Jays on Thursday. Instead, RHP Matt Wisler will open, with Yarbrough expected to follow him. The Rays and Jays are playing a doubleheader Saturday, one of two they’ll play in Toronto this season.