Twins 5, Guardians 4: World’s worst bullpen wins bullpen game

TL;DR

The Minnesota Twins defeated the Cleveland Guardians 5-4 in a bullpen game on Mother's Day. This victory marks the Twins' first series win at Progressive Field since September 2023.

Key points

Twins won 5-4 against Guardians on Mother's Day.
Kody Clemens was a standout player with 3 hits.
First series win at Progressive Field since September 2023.
Twins bullpen performed well after recent struggles.
Next game is against the Miami Marlins.

Minnesota TwinsCleveland GuardiansMiami Marlins

May 10, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Minnesota Twins relief pitcher Kendry Rojas (60) throws a pitch during the third inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Dermer-Imagn Images | David Dermer-Imagn Images Before any game action today, a quick shoutout to all the Moms out there this 2026 Mother’s Day! I just returned from a trip with my mom to see the Twins in Washington, D.C.! I calculated that she has now seen 10 baseball stadiums (one I’ll never get to—Metropolitan Stadium). It probably helps to have a baseball die-hard son (haha). I pity the fool who doesn’t think of their mother today… Baseball-wise, the Minnesota Twins—for the second consecutive Lord’s Day—threw their rag-tag bullpen assemblage out to the mound from “Play Ball!” and somehow again came away with a victory. The Twins struck first in the top of the third inning when a Kody Clemens double was pushed to third base by a Brooks Lee single—and then Kody scampered home on a Guardians SP Gavin Williams heave to the backstop.

The lead didn’t last long—a (who else) single scored in B3—but MN second-man-out-of-the-pen Kendry Rojas induced an Angel Martinez fly out to the warning track with the bases loaded. Phew! In T4, a double and an single seemed to be cooking up more runs—until a GIDP doused the fire. Fortunately, T5 brought more action—and actual scoreboard movement! Clemens again started the rally with a 2B, then scored this time on a Lee 1B. then chipped in a 2B of his own to score Lee. After two outs, it looked as if the inning might fizzle with nothing further—until cracked a 1B plating Lewis and Martin thought “hey, that was fun—let me try it!”. 5-1 Twins! After Rojas departed mid-B5 after some really solid (if wild) work, RP Travis Adams’ two-out BB came back to haunt on a Daniel Schneeman RBI single. Once again, however, a Twins reliever wriggled out of a bases-loaded jam to keep the damage to a minimum. 5-2 Twins. A 1B pulled CLE to within two runs, but put down further rebellion. 5-3 Twins. As they are wont to do, Cleveland continued chipping away—this time a DeLauter RBI ground-out in B8. Yet *again*, this time it was Luis Garcia dousing a RISP threat. 5-4 Twins. That is where the score would stay, with Yoendrys Gomez (who I’m *sure* you’ll remember on the ‘26 Sporcle roster quiz) recording the save with a 1-2-3 ninth. **Your Final: Minnesota Twins 5, Cleveland Guardians 4** For the first time since September of 2023, the Twins have won a series at Progressive Field. The combination of Morris, Rojas, , Banda, Garcia, & Gomez held Cleveland to 4 runs. While perhaps unremarkable by other clubs’ standards, after a week of MN bullpen blow-ups it was truly a remarkable thing to behold. Go call your Mom and tell her the Twins won!

Q&A

What was the final score of the Twins vs Guardians game on May 10, 2026?

The final score was Minnesota Twins 5, Cleveland Guardians 4.

Who were the key players in the Twins' victory over the Guardians?

Key players included Kody Clemens, who went 3-for-4 with two doubles, and Kendry Rojas, who contributed significantly from the bullpen.

When did the Twins last win a series at Progressive Field before this game?

The Twins last won a series at Progressive Field in September 2023.

What is the significance of the Twins' bullpen performance in this game?

The Twins' bullpen, which had struggled recently, managed to hold the Guardians to just four runs, showcasing a remarkable turnaround.