MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — David Fry hit a three-run homer and seven Cleveland pitchers combined on a two-hitter, helping the Guardians beat the Minnesota Twins 3-1 on Saturday.
On a day when they lost ace Shane Bieber to season-ending elbow surgery, the Guardians showcased their pitching depth while improving to 7-2 this season.
Click to Gallery
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — David Fry hit a three-run homer and seven Cleveland pitchers combined on a two-hitter, helping the Guardians beat the Minnesota Twins 3-1 on Saturday.
Minnesota Twins' Alex Kirilloff (19) hits an RBI triple during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
Cleveland Guardians catcher David Fry, center, tags out Minnesota Twins' Alex Kirilloff (19) at home plate during the first inning of a baseball game, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
Cleveland Guardians' David Fry celebrates his three-run home run against the Minnesota Twins during the second inning of a baseball game, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
Cleveland Guardians' David Fry is congratulated on his three-run home run against the Minnesota Twins during the second inning of a baseball game, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
Carlos Carrasco worked three innings of one-run ball. The 37-year-old right-hander struck out six and walked three before he was pulled after 78 pitches.
Nick Sandlin (2-0), Cade Smith, Hunter Gaddis, Scott Barlow, Tyler Beede and Emmanuel Clase combined to blank Minnesota over the final six innings. Clase worked the ninth for his fourth save.
Joe Ryan (1-1) struck out seven over six innings for Minnesota, but he paid dearly for a hanging sweeper that Fry deposited into the second deck in left field in the second.
Alex Kirilloff put the Twins on the board with an RBI triple in the first. It was the third straight game with a triple for Kirilloff, who came into the season with two triples in 640 career at-bats.
But Minnesota didn't manage another hit until Carlos Correa singled with two out in the ninth. The Twins went 0 for 11 with runners in scoring position and struck out 14 times.
Minnesota also struggled to score in the series opener on Thursday. It struck out 15 times and went 0 for 12 with runners in scoring position in a 4-2 loss.
Even though the Twins had just two hits Saturday, they had plenty of chances to break through as the Guardians walked seven and hit three batters.
In the sixth, Byron Buxton was hit by a pitch and Max Kepler walked with nobody out. Former Guardian Carlos Santana then hit a roller up the middle against his first big league team, but second baseman Andrés Jiménez made a diving backhanded stop before flipping the ball with his glove for the forceout at second.
Gaddis then hit Matt Wallner to load the bases. But he struck out Ryan Jeffers and Willi Castro to end the threat.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Guardians: RHP Peter Strzelecki will replace Bieber on the roster. The 29-year-old has spent parts of two seasons with the Brewers and Diamondbacks, posting a 5-6 record with a 3.63 ERA.
UP NEXT
Guardians: RHP Triston McKenzie (0-1, 10.80 ERA) will start Sunday’s series finale. McKenzie gave up four earned runs in 3 1/3 innings at Seattle on Monday.
Twins: RHP Bailey Ober (0-1, 54.00 ERA) will try to rebound from the worst start of his career. Ober was hit hard in Kansas City last Sunday, giving up three homers and eight earned runs in 1 1/3 innings.
Minnesota Twins' Carlos Correa, right, scores on a triple hit by Alex Kirilloff during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
Minnesota Twins' Alex Kirilloff (19) hits an RBI triple during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
Cleveland Guardians catcher David Fry, center, tags out Minnesota Twins' Alex Kirilloff (19) at home plate during the first inning of a baseball game, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
Cleveland Guardians' David Fry celebrates his three-run home run against the Minnesota Twins during the second inning of a baseball game, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
Cleveland Guardians' David Fry is congratulated on his three-run home run against the Minnesota Twins during the second inning of a baseball game, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
The Change Healthcare cyberattack that disrupted health care systems nationwide earlier this year started when hackers entered a server that lacked a basic form of security: multifactor authentication.
UnitedHealth CEO Andrew Witty said Wednesday in a U.S. Senate hearing that his company, which owns Change Healthcare, is still trying to understand why the server did not have the additional protection.
His admission did not sit well with Senate Finance Committee members who spent more than two hours questioning the CEO about the attack and broader health care issues.
“This hack could have been stopped with cybersecurity 101,” Oregon Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden told Witty.
Multifactor authentication adds a second layer of security to password-protected accounts by having users enter an auto-generated code. It’s common on apps protecting sensitive data like bank accounts and meant to guard against hackers guessing passwords.
Change Healthcare provides technology used to submit and process billions of insurance claims a year. Hackers gained access in February and unleashed a ransomware attack that encrypted and froze large parts of the company’s system, Witty said.
The attack triggered a disruption of payment and claims processing around the country, stressing doctor’s offices and health care systems by interfering with their ability to file claims and get paid.
UnitedHealth quickly disconnected the affected systems to limit damage and paid a $22 million ransom, Witty said. The company is still recovering.
“We’ve literally built this platform back from scratch so that we can reassure people that there are not elements of the old attacked environment within the new technology," Witty said, also noting that he was “deeply, deeply sorry” for the attack.
The CEO also told senators that all of the company's core systems were now fully functional. That included claims payment and pharmacy processing.
Witty said his company had been in the process of upgrading technology for Change, which it acquired in 2022, and he was “incredibly frustrated” to learn about the lack of multifactor authentication, which is a standard across UnitedHealth.
In March, the Office for Civil Rights said it would investigate whether protected health information was exposed and whether Change Healthcare followed laws protecting patient privacy.
The company said earlier this month that personal information that could cover a “substantial portion of people in America” may have been taken in the attack.
Company officials have said they see no signs that doctor charts or full medical histories were released after the attack. But they also have noted that it may take several months of analysis to identify and notify those who were affected. UnitedHealth is offering free credit monitoring and identity theft protection for two years.
UnitedHealth Group runs one of the nation’s largest insurers and pharmacy benefits managers. It also provides care and technology services, which include the Change business.
Cybersecurity experts say ransomware attacks have increased substantially in recent years, especially in the health care sector.
Witty told senators on Wednesday that his company is “consistently” under attack.
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Protesters hold up signs saying "Stop Denying Us Care" as Andrew Witty, Chief Executive Officer of UnitedHealth Group, front, gathers his papers after testifying at a Senate Finance Committee hearing examining cyber attacks on health care, and the Change Healthcare cyber attack, Wednesday, May 1, 2024, on Capitol Hill in Washington. The people were protesting claim denials and prior authorization requests that they say delays care. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Andrew Witty, Chief Executive Officer of UnitedHealth Group, testifies at a Senate Finance Committee hearing examining cyber attacks on health care, and the Change Healthcare cyber attack, Wednesday, May 1, 2024, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Protesters hold up signs saying "Stop Denying Us Care" as Andrew Witty, Chief Executive Officer of UnitedHealth Group, front, gathers his papers after testifying at a Senate Finance Committee hearing examining cyber attacks on health care, and the Change Healthcare cyber attack, Wednesday, May 1, 2024, on Capitol Hill in Washington. The people were protesting claim denials and prior authorization requests that they say delays care. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Andrew Witty, Chief Executive Officer of UnitedHealth Group, testifies at a Senate Finance Committee hearing examining cyber attacks on health care, and the Change Healthcare cyber attack, Wednesday, May 1, 2024, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Andrew Witty, Chief Executive Officer of UnitedHealth Group, testifies at a Senate Finance Committee hearing examining cyber attacks on health care, and the Change Healthcare cyber attack, Wednesday, May 1, 2024, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
