MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Emmanuel Rodriguez homered in his first career at-bat to spark a four-run inning and the Minnesota Twins held off the Cleveland Guardians 4-3 Saturday.
Andrew Morris, Kody Funderburk and Jeff Hoffman combined for 2 2-3 innings of scoreless relief before A.J. Minter earned his first save since May 13, 2024, with a 1-2-3 ninth.
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Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Connor Prielipp delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Twins' Kaelen Culpepper falls after being hit by a pitch during the third inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians in Minneapolis, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Cleveland Guardians relief pitcher Franco Aleman, middle, right, hands the game ball to manager Stephen Vogt (12) for a pitching change during the third inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Twins' Emmanuel Rodriguez hits a solo home run for his first-career hit during his MLB debut in the third inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Twins' Emmanuel Rodriguez (21) runs the bases after hitting a solo home run for his first-career hit during his MLB debut in the third inning of a baseball game in Minneapolis, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Travis Bazzana, Brayan Rocchio and Steven Kwan had RBIs for the Guardians, now one game behind Chicago in the American League Central Division.
Cleveland is one game up on Toronto for the final AL wild-card spot, with Minnesota 4 1/2 games behind.
Rodriguez, a top-five prospect in the Minnesota organization who was recalled from Triple-A St. Paul earlier in the day, hit a fastball from Franco Aleman into the bullpen to tie the game 1-1 in the third inning. He’s the seventh Twin to homer in his first career at-bat and 14th to do so in his first game.
Kody Clemens and Royce Lewis added RBI singles, and after Kaelen Culpepper was hit by a pitch from Aleman and had to leave the game with a right shoulder contusion, Aleman hit Victor Caratini with the bases loaded to make it 4-1.
In the worst of his 21 career outings, Aleman (0-1) allowed five hits, four earned runs, in two-thirds of an inning after Daniel Espino opened with two scoreless innings for the Guardians.
Rocchio's RBI ground out and Kwan's RBI single got Cleveland within 4-3 in the fifth. The Guardians did not have a hit in the final four innings, striking out eight times in the final three.
Making his first start since Aug. 26, Connor Prielipp (5-7), who pitched twice in relief since then, allowed three earned runs and five hits in 5 1-3 innings for Minnesota.
Sunday’s series finale has Cleveland RHP Tanner Bibee (5-15, 4.22 ERA) and Minnesota RHP Joe Ryan (6-9, 3.68) as the scheduled starters.
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Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Connor Prielipp delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Twins' Kaelen Culpepper falls after being hit by a pitch during the third inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians in Minneapolis, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Cleveland Guardians relief pitcher Franco Aleman, middle, right, hands the game ball to manager Stephen Vogt (12) for a pitching change during the third inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Twins' Emmanuel Rodriguez hits a solo home run for his first-career hit during his MLB debut in the third inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Twins' Emmanuel Rodriguez (21) runs the bases after hitting a solo home run for his first-career hit during his MLB debut in the third inning of a baseball game in Minneapolis, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
