Fry and Ramírez go deep, Guardians beat Twins 5-3 to earn split of four-game series

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — David Fry and José Ramírez homered, and the Cleveland Guardians held on to beat the Minnesota Twins 5-3 on Sunday to earn a split of the four-game series between the top two teams in the AL Central.

The Guardians won their second straight after losing seven in a row, and now lead Minnesota by 3 1/2 games. Kansas City is four games back.

Emmanuel Clase pitched a shaky ninth for his 35th save as Minnesota loaded the bases with no outs, but Willi Castro struck out on a full count and Trevor Larnach grounded into a double play that began with a ranging backhand stop by second baseman Andrés Giménez.

“In that AB I wanted to get a ground ball to him. I was lucky to get it, and I always have 100% confidence in him,” Clase said through an interpreter.

Facing adversity for one of the rare times this season, Cleveland bounced back nicely in the series after being swept in Friday’s doubleheader.

“To come back and win the next two, even that last inning where they get bases loaded and no outs to get out of it was really cool,” Fry said.

Byron Buxton homered twice for Minnesota, which fell to 2-7 against Cleveland this year.

Manager Rocco Baldelli likes how the Twins played over the four games.

“We had several innings where we whacked the ball all around the ballpark and we end up scoring no runs," he said. "Stuff where you think it’s almost impossible not to score. The vast majority of them it’s not like our guys did anything too wrong, they just hit the ball too hard and hit the ball right at people. If one or two of those runs come into play, we’re in a good spot.”

The Guardians broke the game open with a four-run sixth inning. With one out, Fry lined a home run off Caleb Thielbar (2-3) for just his third extra-base hit in 27 games. Prior to the 405-foot shot to the left of the bullpens, the American League All-Star was in a 4-for-32 slump.

“He’s a warrior, he’s been playing through a lot of things,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “When he’s at his best he’s driving the ball up the middle and you make a mistake he pops one. That was a huge moment for us.”

A broken bat single by Brayan Rocchio and a seeing-eye single through the hole by Steven Kwan each drove in runs, as did a double by Will Brennan for a 5-1 lead. It is the first time in six games Cleveland scored more than three runs.

Tanner Bibee (10-4) made his first start in 13 days for the Guardians, missing his last turn in the rotation with right shoulder soreness. In 5 2/3 innings he scattered six hits and struck out five. Cleveland is 18-5 this season when Bibee starts.

Buxton, 3 for 35 in his previous 13 games against Cleveland since June 29, 2022, homered in the second, but Ramírez lofted a home run to the second row of seats in right to tie the score in the fourth.

Buxton added a two-run homer in the eighth off Nick Sandlin for his third multi-homer game this year.

In his sixth career start, Minnesota’s David Festa allowed one earned run and three hits in 3 1/3 innings, but he walked three and was pulled after 70 pitches. Last Monday against the Cubs, he allowed two hits and struck out a career-high nine in five innings.

DEEP IN THE COUNT

After Fry’s home run, Giménez had a 14-pitch walk and Daniel Schneemann followed with an eight-pitch walk.

“We’d been getting away from that as of late and making guys work and have to make pitch after pitch after pitch. That was one of the best at-bats Gimi’s had all year,” Vogt said.

UP NEXT

Guardians: RHP Ben Lively (10-7, 3.59) is set to start Monday’s home game against Cubs LHP Shota Imanaga (9-2, 3.06).

Twins: RHP Pablo López (10-8, 4.74) is scheduled to start Monday at home against Kansas City RHP Brady Singer (8-7, 3.03).

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Minnesota Twins' Byron Buxton (25) celebrates a two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians in Minneapolis, Minn., Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024. (Elizabeth Flores/Star Tribune via AP)

Minnesota Twins' Byron Buxton (25) celebrates a two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians in Minneapolis, Minn., Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024. (Elizabeth Flores/Star Tribune via AP)

The Cleveland Guardians celebrate their 5-3 win over the Minnesota Twins in Minneapolis, Minn., Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024. (Elizabeth Flores/Star Tribune via AP)

Cleveland Guardians' David Fry (6) celebrates in the dugout after nailing a solo home run in the top of the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins in Minneapolis, Minn., Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024. (Elizabeth Flores/Star Tribune via AP)

Cleveland Guardians' Andrés Giménez (0), right, beats Minnesota Twins second baseman Willi Castro (50) to second base in the top of the fourth inning of a baseball game in Minneapolis, Minn., Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024. (Elizabeth Flores/Star Tribune via AP)

Cleveland Guardians' Brayan Rocchio (4) breaks a bat at the plate in the top of the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins in Minneapolis, Minn., Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024. (Elizabeth Flores/Star Tribune via AP)

Minnesota Twins' Byron Buxton (25) celebrates his solo home run in the second inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians in Minneapolis, Minn., Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024. (Elizabeth Flores/Star Tribune via AP)

Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton (25) makes a grab in the outfield for an out in the top of the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians in Minneapolis, Minn., Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024. (Elizabeth Flores/Star Tribune via AP)

Minnesota Twins' Willi Castro (50), right, gets a hug from Cleveland Guardians shortstop Brayan Rocchio (4) after the call at second was challenged by the Twins in the bottom of the fifth inning of a baseball game in Minneapolis, Minn., Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024. (Elizabeth Flores/Star Tribune via AP)

Minnesota Twins' Byron Buxton (25) celebrates his solo home run with Max Kepler (26) in the second inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians in Minneapolis, Minn., Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024. (Elizabeth Flores/Star Tribune via AP)

Minnesota Twins pitcher David Festa (58) pitches in the first inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians in Minneapolis, Minn., Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024. (Elizabeth Flores/Star Tribune via AP)

Minnesota Twins' Byron Buxton (25) celebrates a two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians in Minneapolis, Minn., Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024. (Elizabeth Flores/Star Tribune via AP)

Cleveland Guardians' David Fry (6) shows his stuff as he rounds second after nailing a solo home run in the top of the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins in Minneapolis, Minn., Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024. (Elizabeth Flores/Star Tribune via AP)

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lankans began voting Saturday in a presidential election that will determine the course of the country's recovery from its worst economic crisis and resulting political upheaval.

The election, contested by 38 candidates, is largely a three-way race among incumbent liberal President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Marxist-leaning lawmaker Anura Kumara Dissanayake, and opposition leader Sajith Premadasa.

There are 17 million eligible voters, and final results are expected Sunday.

The results will show whether Sri Lankans approve of Wickremesinghe's leadership over the country's fragile recovery, including restructuring its debt under an International Monetary Fund program after it defaulted in 2022.

The government announced Thursday that it passed the final hurdle in debt restructuring by reaching an agreement in principle with private bond holders.

Sri Lanka’s local and foreign debt totaled $83 billion at the time it defaulted, and the government says it has now restructured more than $17 billion.

Despite a significant improvement in key economic figures, Sri Lankans are struggling under high taxes and living costs.

Both Premadasa and Dissanayake say they will renegotiate the IMF deal to make austerity measures more bearable. Wickremesinghe has warned that any move to alter the basics of the agreement could delay the release of a fourth tranche of nearly $3 billion in assistance pledged by the IMF that's crucial to maintaining stability.

Sri Lanka’s economic crisis resulted largely from excessive borrowing on projects that did not generate revenue. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the government’s insistence on using scarce foreign reserves to prop up the currency, the rupee, contributed to the economy’s free fall.

The economic collapse brought a severe shortage of essentials such as medicine, food, cooking gas and fuel, with people spending days waiting in line to obtain them. It led to rioting in which protesters took over key buildings including the president’s house, his office and the prime minister’s office, forcing then-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to flee the country and resign.

Wickremesinghe was elected by a parliamentary vote in July 2022 to cover the remainder of Rajapaksa’s five-year term. Now, Wickremesinghe is seeking another term to strengthen the gains.

However, many people accuse him of protecting members of the Rajapaksa family, whom they blame for the economic crisis.

Wickremesinghe, who was the only member of his party in Parliament, was elected mainly with the votes of Rajapaksa loyalists. They also supported him as members of his Cabinet and in voting for the reforms he proposed.

Sri Lankan police officer stands guard as voters queue to cast their vote at a polling center for presidential election in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

Sri Lankan police officer stands guard as voters queue to cast their vote at a polling center for presidential election in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

Sri Lankan show their baby fingers marked with an indelible ink after casting their vote at a polling center for presidential election in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

A person shows indelible mark on his finger after casting his vote in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardane)

People stand in a queue to cast their votes in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardane)

Election officials leave a distribution center after collecting polling material for the upcoming presidential election, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Police officers wait for transport to travel to polling stations ahead of the upcoming presidential election, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

A police officer stands guard outside a polling material distribution center ahead of the presidential election, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Sri Lanka's opposition leader and presidential candidate Sajith Premadasa speaks to his supporters during a public rally in Thalawakele, Sri Lanka, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Leader and the presidential candidate of National People's Power Anura Kumara Dissanayake speaks to supporters during the final public rally ahead of the election in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Sri Lanka's president Ranil Wickremesinghe speaks during a public rally in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Aug. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Women election officials walk past security personnel outside a distribution center before collecting polling materials for the upcoming presidential election, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)