The Cleveland Guardian are back on the winning track after their 2-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Saturday night. Cleveland had won a season-high seven games in a row before this win, and they desperately needed someone to take the initiative.
Steven Kwan got the Guardians going and they took an early lead when the left fielder hit a solo home run on the second pitch of the game. Kwan’s newfound power has been a theme all season, and that proved true once again. His home run had an exit velocity of 100.5 mph and was 396 feet long.
Can he do it? Yes, he can, Kwan!#ForTheCountry | @CleGuardians pic.twitter.com/6Kq6rCNsER
— Bally Sports Cleveland (@BallySportsCLE) 10 August 2024
Cleveland came into the game with a 44-12 record when they scored first, so there is no getting around the fact that they set the tone early on. Kwan did just that, which made it possible Gavin Williams to follow up the hill.
Stephen Vogt also pointed out the significance of this home run after the game.
“I thought the home run off the first pitch was great,” Vogt said. “It electrified the team and got everyone into the game. When you’re up by one point, which wasn’t the case at the beginning of the game, it’s great. Especially on the road. It was a much-needed hit and run for us in the first inning.”
Bo Naylor was the other Guardian who made a difference for Cleveland. His solo home run in the sixth inning gave the Guardians their second run of the game and was ultimately the deciding factor. Bo’s solo hit came off the bat at 105.2 mph and flew 358 feet over the right field wall.
The Guardians are still known for their contact hitting and hard baserunning, but it’s still nice to see them win a game by just two hits.
