CLEVELAND (Interstat) — Kendry Rojas scattered five hits over 3 1/3 innings in relief and Kody Clemens went 3-for-4 with two doubles as the Minnesota Twins edged the Cleveland Guardians 5-4 on Sunday afternoon at Progressive Field.

The Twins, who moved to 18-23, scored one run in the third inning and four in the fifth to build a four-run lead, then held off a Guardians comeback that pulled Cleveland within a run. Cleveland slipped to 21-21 with the loss.

Minnesota’s offense erupted in the fifth after Clemens led off with a double, his second of the game. Brooks Lee singled to drive in Clemens, and Royce Lewis followed with an RBI double. Byron Buxton singled, and after a flyout and a lineout, Josh Bell singled to score Lewis. Austin Martin’s single brought home Buxton, giving the Twins a 5-1 lead before Luke Keaschall struck out to end the inning.

Cleveland scored its first run in the third. Brayan Rocchio singled, Chase DeLauter singled, and Jose Ramirez singled to drive in Rocchio. The Guardians added a run in the fifth when Kyle Manzardo walked, Daniel Schneemann singled and Angel Martinez singled to score Manzardo. Travis Bazzana walked to load the bases, but Patrick Bailey struck out to leave the bases loaded.

Cleveland trimmed the deficit to 5-3 in the sixth. Rocchio singled, Steven Kwan grounded out to move Rocchio to second, and DeLauter singled to bring him home. The Guardians inched closer in the eighth. David Fry singled, Rocchio singled, and Kwan sacrificed both runners into scoring position. DeLauter grounded out to first base, allowing Fry to score and moving Rocchio to third. Ramirez walked, but Rhys Hoskins grounded out to end the inning.

In the top of the ninth, Clemens singled, Lee sacrificed him to second, and Royce Lewis struck out. Tim Herrin intentionally walked Buxton, but Victor Caratini flied out to right field. Yoendrys Gomez then retired the Guardians in order in the bottom of the ninth to secure the save.

Gomez earned his second save of the season, pitching a perfect ninth inning with no hits and no earned runs. Anthony Banda contributed 1 1/3 scoreless innings with two strikeouts. Andrew Morris pitched a scoreless seventh inning.

Rojas, who entered the game in the fourth inning after starter Zebby Matthews – not listed in the key performances – departed, picked up his first win of the season. He allowed one earned run on five hits with five strikeouts over 3 1/3 innings. Rojas got double-play help in the fourth when Travis Bazzana grounded into a 3-6-3 double play.

Gavin Williams took the loss for Cleveland, falling to 5-3 on the season. He pitched six innings, allowing five earned runs on 10 hits while striking out six. He surrendered all four Twins runs in the fifth.

Clemens was the offensive catalyst for Minnesota, finishing 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and a run scored. Lee also had two hits, including an RBI single in the fifth. Martin had two hits and an RBI. Lewis doubled, scored twice and drove in a run. Buxton singled and scored a run.

For Cleveland, Rocchio went 4-for-4 with a double, two singles and two runs scored. DeLauter went 2-for-5 with two RBIs. Ramirez had a hit and an RBI. Schneemann, Martinez and Fry each singled.

The game took 2 hours, 53 minutes and drew an announced crowd of 22,475.

Minnesota struck first in the third inning. Clemens led off with a double, Lee singled to put runners at first and third, but Lewis struck out on a foul tip, Buxton popped out and Trevor Larnach grounded out to end the inning without a run.

The Twins then broke through in the fifth with four runs on five hits. Williams retired the first batter in the inning but could not stop the rally. After Clemens’ double and Lee’s single, Lewis doubled, Buxton singled, and after two outs, Bell and Martin delivered back-to-back run-scoring singles.

Cleveland answered with a run in the bottom of the fifth. Manzardo walked, Schneemann singled and Martinez singled to score Manzardo. Bazzana walked to load the bases with one out, but Bailey struck out swinging.

The Guardians’ sixth-inning run came on DeLauter’s second RBI single, scoring Rocchio, who had led off with a bunt single.

Banda replaced Rojas in the fifth and pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings, striking out two. Morris worked a 1-2-3 seventh. Gomez closed with a perfect ninth, striking out none but inducing two groundouts and a flyout.

Gomez’s save preserved the win for Rojas, who entered in the fourth after Matthews lasted only three innings. Matthews allowed one run on three hits in three innings, striking out four and walking two.

The game marked the third consecutive meeting between the two teams in Cleveland. The Twins won the series opener 2-1 on Saturday, while the Guardians won 6-4 on Friday.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Cleveland 5, Minnesota 3. Interstat’s ELO system gave the Guardians a 62.10 percent probability to win. Cleveland was installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus-1.5. The total of nine runs went under the over-under line of 7.5.