CLEVELAND _ The Twins got late home runs from Brian Dozier and Chris Gimenez to topple the Indians 4-2 on Saturday and pull within one-half game of first place the AL Central Division.
And they pulled it off in a game started by ace right-hander Corey Kluber.
After Cleveland tied the score in the seventh inning, Dozier socked a fastball from reliever Cody Allen down the left-field line and inside the foul pole for his 13th home run as the Twins took a 3-2 lead.
Gimenez added a solo shot off Zach McCallister in the ninth to make it 4-2. Brandon Kintzler pitched the ninth for his 20th save.
And the Twins, who looked out of Cleveland's league last week while getting swept at Target Field, will send Ervin Santana to the mound on Sunday with the chance to sweep the Indians at Progressive Field.
Twins manager Paul Molitor said before Saturday's game that Kluber's slider might be the best in baseball. That was only one concern on Saturday as an ailing Twins team faced Cleveland.
Another was the 3 p.m. Central Time start, and how the afternoon shadows would make hitting Kluber even more difficult.
And the Twins were down Miguel Sano (illness), Max Kepler (injured) and Eddie Rosario (illness) _ a chunk of their offense and chunks of their outfield defense.
Despite all of this, the Twins were in control of the game until the seventh inning, after they ambushed Kluber with two runs in the first inning.
Dozier was safe at first on Jason Kipnis' throwing error to start the game, and Joe Mauer followed with a walk. Robbie Grossman then doubled to right to drive in Dozier. Mauer scored when catcher Yan Gomez's pickoff throw to third was wild, and the Twins had a 2-0 lead.
With no outs and a runner on third, the Twins failed to add on. Kennys Vargas struck out. Eduardo Escobar flied out. Jorge Polanco was issued the first intentional walk of his career because Gimenez was on deck.
And Gimenez, a late replacement for Rosario, struck out to end the inning.
Kluber striking out two in the first inning was a portent of things to come. He attacked strike zone and used his slider to overwhelm Twins hitters. Kluber struck out the side in the second inning, two in the third, two in the fourth and one in the fifth for 10 strikeouts.
It was the fifth time this season and 29th time in Kluber's career that he reached double digit strikeouts. He has struck out at least 10 in three straight starts, one shy of the club record. The Twins felt that home plate umpire Larry Vanover's strike zone was wider that it needed to be, which didn't help matters.
And, despite all of that, the Twins still led.
Twins right-hander Kyle Gibson was knocked out of the game in the fifth inning after throwing 93 pitches, 45 of them balls. He needed 23 pitches to get through the second and 27 pitches in the fourth _ including a sinker to Jose Ramirez that landed in the right-field stands for a home run that made the score 2-1.
And, despite Gibson struggling, the Twins still led.
Things looked ready to fall apart in the seventh. With runners on first and second, Francisco Lindor grounded a ball to Vargas, who gobbled it up and threw to second for one out. Polanco fired to first base, where reliever Matt Belisle was covering. But the throw was errant and went toward the Twins dugout as Gomes scored the tying run.
Polanco could have held on to the ball. Belisle might have been able to come off the bag and secure the ball. It didn't happen, and the Twins were in trouble.
Until big swings from Dozier and Gimenez put them over the top.
