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Guardians Win 5-2, Smith Sets MLB Save Record

7/22/2026

37 4 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Guardians beat Twins 5-2, with Austin Hedges and rookie Petey Halpin each delivering a fly.
Parker Messick allowed runs (one earned) on four hits, struck out six, and surrendered Ryan Jeffers’ ninth homer.
Cade Smith earned his 29th save, most in the majors, moving Cleveland to within a half-game of the AL Central lead.
Minnesota suffered its fourth straight road loss and fell 3½ games behind the AL wild-card spot.

History

Historical Context

Bobby Thigpen’s 57-save season in 1990 cemented the modern closer role, a position formalized after the save became an official statistic in 1969. His mark stood until Francisco Rodríguez posted 62 saves in 2008. Now Cleveland’s Cade Smith, with 29 saves, leads the majors and eyes Thigpen’s historic benchmark, underscoring the evolving value of one-inning specialists.

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Story summary

Guardians beat Twins 5-2, with Austin Hedges and rookie Petey Halpin each delivering a fly.
Parker Messick allowed runs (one earned) on four hits, struck out six, and surrendered Ryan Jeffers’ ninth homer.
Cade Smith earned his 29th save, most in the majors, moving Cleveland to within a half-game of the AL Central lead.
Minnesota suffered its fourth straight road loss and fell 3½ games behind the AL wild-card spot.

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