Guardians Surge Within 2.5 Games AL Central After Winning Streak, Ramirez and Naylor Drive Key Runs

The Cleveland Guardians are on a remarkable winning streak, having won eight straight games and 12 of their last 13, significantly closing the gap in the AL Central standings. Bo Naylor was a key contributor in their 6-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins, driving in four runs with two critical two-run singles that helped the Guardians move within 2 1/2 games of the division lead. José Ramírez has also been pivotal, hitting a go-ahead two-run homer in the seventh inning during the Guardians' recent 3-1 win over the Detroit Tigers, which completed a three-game sweep and brought Cleveland within 3 1/2 games of first place. The Guardians' pitching has held strong, with solid performances from Tanner Bibee and others limiting the Tigers and Twins to few runs. Cleveland's surge from being 15 1/2 games out on July 9 to threatening the division lead highlights their unexpected heroics and resilience late in the season. The team is poised for crucial upcoming matchups against the Tigers that could determine their playoff positioning.