CLEVELAND – Twins rookie pitcher Joe Ryan's bid for perfection slipped away in Wednesday's seventh inning in Cleveland, but he claimed his first victory in his second big league start with a one-hit, 3-0 victory at Progressive Field.
Ryan retired the side 1-2-3 in 10 of the first 11 innings before Cleveland shortstop Amed Rosario broke up his perfect game with a seventh-inning single that brought a big cheer from the home fans.
No Twins pitcher has ever thrown a perfect game. Five of them have thrown no-hitters, but not in the last decade.
The Twins acquired U.S. Olympian Ryan in a July trade that sent veteran Nelson Cruz to Tampa Bay.
Ryan threw seven one-hit innings before Caleb Thielbar relieved him to start the eighth inning and Tyler Duffey pitched the ninth to keep the shutout.
Ryan allowed the one, walked no one and struck out four in those seven innings before he left the game.
He threw 85 pitches, 61 for strikes in the Twins' fourth consecutive victory.
Rosario broke up the no-hitter after Ryan retired 19 consecutive batters. The succession ended after leadoff hitter Amdres Gimenez lead off the seventh inning by grounding out to to second.
Rosario stepped forth and hit a 79-mph slider sharply between third baseman Luis Arraez and shortstop Jorge Polanco.
An audience announced at 11,037 on a clear, calm late summer's night cheered their approval over a dream dashed.
Rosario was Cleveland's first base runner all night, but Rosario went no further than third as Ryan kept his composure.
He got Jose Ramirez to ground out to first and then cleanup hitter Franmil Reyes flew out to right field.
Ryan retired the side in the side the first six innings after he had done the same in four of five innings he pitched in his major league debut last week against the Chicago Cubs. He allowed all runs scored in the third inning of a 3-0 loss at Target Field that night.
Ryan dueled young Cleveland pitcher Triston McKenzie (6 IP, 3 H, ER) for six innings when all either team could muster was the Twins' lone fifth-inning run.
They scored after McKenzie retired the first two batters, but then walked left fielder Rob Refsnyder. He advanced by stealing a base for the first time this season, taking second base before utility player Nick Gordon doubled to right field, scoring him.
Miguel Sano made it 2-0 with a 449-foot home run to center field with two outs in the Twins' seventh inning.
Catcher Ryan Jeffers scored the Twins final run in the eighth inning for the 3-0 final, the same score as Tuesday's victory. The Twins took the three-game series from Cleveland with the final one in a four-game set is Thursday night.
