Bo Naylor hits 3-run homer, closer Emmanuel Clase gets save in Guardians' 4-2 win over Twins

CLEVELAND (AP) — Bo Naylor hit a three-run homer and Luis Ortiz kept Minnesota's hitters off balance and off the scoreboard for 6 1/3 innings, leading the Cleveland Guardians to a 4-2 win over the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday night.

Naylor connected in the seventh inning off reliever Brock Stewart after the Guardians finally scratched out a run against Minnesota starter Pablo López (2-2), who held Cleveland scoreless over the first 6 1/3 innings.

Cade Smith (1-0) struck out the only two batters he faced. Emmanuel Clase pitched the ninth — he gave up one run and two hits with a wild pitch — for his fifth save. It was the struggling All-Star closer's first save since April 19.

Brooks Lee homered for the Twins.

Ortiz and López matched zeros over the first six innings before the Guardians got something going in the seventh with José Ramírez starting the rally with a single and stolen base. With one out, Carlos Santana's topper was fielded cleanly by López, but he threw wildly to first allowing Ramírez to score.

Stewart walked Gabriel Arias and struck out Daniel Schneemann before Naylor touched him for his fourth homer and second in two nights.

After giving up a two-out double in the first inning, López retired 14 straight hitters before Angel Martínez doubled in the sixth.

Minnesota rookie left fielder DaShawn Keirsey Jr. kept the game scoreless in the seventh with a sensational diving catch to rob Cleveland's Kyle Manzardo of extra bases.

With his next steal, Ramírez will become the first third baseman in history with 250 career homers and 250 steals. The six-time All-Star will also be the 24th major leaguer to accomplish the feat and just the second switch-hitter, joining Carlos Beltrán (435 homers, 312 steals).

RHP Simeon Woods Richardson (2-2, 4.07 ERA) is scheduled to start the series finale THursday against Guardians RHP Ben Lively (1-2, 4.40).

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

Cleveland Guardians' Jose Ramirez tosses his bat as he watches his single in the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins in Cleveland, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Minnesota Twins' Carlos Correa lies on the ground after falling over while backing away from a pitch in the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians in Cleveland, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Guardians' Bo Naylor breaks his bat as he grounds out in the third inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins in Cleveland, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Minnesota Twins center fielder Byron Buxton (25) catches a fly ball hit for an out by Cleveland Guardians' Daniel Schneemann in the second inning of a baseball game in Cleveland, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Guardians' Jose Ramirez gestures from second base after hitting a double in the first inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins in Cleveland, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Guardians' Luis Ortiz pitches in the first inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins in Cleveland, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Minnesota Twins' Pablo Lopez pitches in the first inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians in Cleveland, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Guardians' Jose Ramirez (11) steals second base in the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins in Cleveland, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Guardians' Bo Naylor, left, celebrates his home run with teammate Carlos Santana, right, in the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins in Cleveland, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Guardians' Bo Naylor watches his home run in the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins in Cleveland, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

ST. LOUIS (AP) — World champions Ilia Malinin and the ice dance duo of Madison Chock and Evan Bates will anchor one of the strongest U.S. Figure Skating teams in history when they head to Italy for the Milan Cortina Olympics in less than a month.

Malinin, fresh off his fourth straight national title, will be the prohibitive favorite to follow in the footsteps of Nathan Chen by delivering another men's gold medal for the American squad when he steps on the ice at the Milano Ice Skating Arena.

Chock and Bates, who won their record-setting seventh U.S. title Saturday night, also will be among the Olympic favorites, as will world champion Alysa Liu and women's teammate Amber Glenn, fresh off her third consecutive national title.

U.S. Figure Skating announced its full squad of 16 athletes for the Winter Games during a made-for-TV celebration Sunday.

"I'm just so excited for the Olympic spirit, the Olympic environment," Malinin said. “Hopefully go for that Olympic gold.”

Malinin will be joined on the men's side by Andrew Torgashev, the all-or-nothing 24-year-old from Coral Springs, Florida, and Maxim Naumov, the 24-year-old from Simsbury, Connecticut, who fulfilled the hopes of his late parents by making the Olympic team.

Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova were returning from a talent camp in Kansas when their American Airlines flight collided with a military helicopter and crashed into the icy Potomac River in January 2025. One of the last conversations they had with their son was about what it would take for him to follow in their footsteps by becoming an Olympian.

“We absolutely did it,” Naumov said. “Every day, year after year, we talked about the Olympics. It means so much in our family. It's what I've been thinking about since I was 5 years old, before I even know what to think. I can't put this into words.”

Chock and Bates helped the Americans win team gold at the Beijing Games four years ago, but they finished fourth — one spot out of the medals — in the ice dance competition. They have hardly finished anywhere but first in the years since, winning three consecutive world championships and the gold medal at three straight Grand Prix Finals.

U.S. silver medalists Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik also made the dance team, as did the Canadian-born Christina Carreira, who became eligible for the Olympics in November when her American citizenship came through, and Anthony Ponomarenko.

Liu was picked for her second Olympic team after briefly retiring following the Beijing Games. She had been burned out by years of practice and competing, but stepping away seemed to rejuvenate the 20-year-old from Clovis, California, and she returned to win the first world title by an American since Kimmie Meissner stood atop the podium two decades ago.

Now, the avant-garde Liu will be trying to help the U.S. win its first women's medal since Sasha Cohen in Turin in 2006, and perhaps the first gold medal since Sarah Hughes triumphed four years earlier at the Salt Lake City Games.

Her biggest competition, besides a powerful Japanese contingent, could come from her own teammates: Glenn, a first-time Olympian, has been nearly unbeatable the past two years, while 18-year-old Isabeau Levito is a former world silver medalist.

"This was my goal and my dream and it just feels so special that it came true,” said Levito, whose mother is originally from Milan.

The two pairs spots went to Ellie Kam and Danny O'Shea, the U.S. silver medalists, and the team of Emily Chan and Spencer Howe.

The top American pairs team, two-time reigning U.S. champions Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov, were hoping that the Finnish-born Efimova would get her citizenship approved in time to compete in Italy. But despite efforts by the Skating Club of Boston, where they train, and the help of their U.S. senators, she did not receive her passport by the selection deadline.

“The importance and magnitude of selecting an Olympic team is one of the most important milestones in an athlete's life,” U.S. Figure Skating CEO Matt Farrell said, "and it has such an impact, and while there are sometimes rules, there is also a human element to this that we really have to take into account as we make decisions and what's best going forward from a selection process.

“Sometimes these aren't easy," Farrell said, “and this is not the fun part.”

The fun is just beginning, though, for the 16 athletes picked for the powerful American team.

AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

Amber Glenn competes during the women's free skating competition at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Alysa Liu skates during the "Making Team USA" performance at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Maxim Naumov skates during the "Making Team USA" performance at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Madison Chock and Evan Bates skate during the "Making the Team" performance at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Gold medalist Ilia Malinin arrives for the metal ceremony after the men's free skate competition at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)