Early in what was likely Joe Ryan’s penultimate start of the season, the Twins’ right-hander gave the fans seated in Target Field’s home run porch in right more defensive opportunities than his outfield.
Ryan allowed four solo home runs to right field Saturday, three in the first two innings, as the Twins fell behind early in a 6-0 loss to the Cleveland Guardians.
Jose Ramirez, Bo Naylor and George Valera — his first in the majors — all homered off Ryan (13-9) to give the Guardians a 3-0 lead after two innings. Daniel Schneeman added a fourth in a two-run fifth inning as the teams made up for a May 20 rainout in the first game of a doubleheader in front of an announced crowd of 22,160.
Naylor added a solo home run off Thomas Hatch in the eighth inning, a long drive over the scoreboard in right-center, as the Guardians won their ninth straight game and 14th of 15 since Sept. 5 to pull within 1½ games of first-place Detroit in the American League Central.
Cleveland starter Slade Cecconi (7-6) pitched seven innings and allowed only three Twins batters to reach base, including Austin Martin, whose first-inning line drive into center extended his hitting streak to eight games. He was erased on a double-play groundout by Trevor Larnach.
Luke Keaschall hit a leadoff double in the second inning but was stranded at third. Ryan Fitzgerald drew a two-out walk in the fifth inning, but Cecconi struck out the side.
Left-hander Kolby Allard finished the game for Cleveland with a pair of scoreless innings.
Ramirez’s two-out homer in the first inning was his 30th of the season. With 40 stolen bases so far this season, he became the third Cleveland player with three 30-30 seasons.
Hatch relieved Ryan and pitched four innings, allowing only allowing Naylor’s second homer.
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