TORONTO -- Credit this one to the scrappy veterans.

The Guardians refused to stay down in Sunday afternoon¡¯s 11-inning marathon against the Blue Jays, twice coming back from a deficit to take the series finale, 10-7, at Rogers Centre.

¡°That¡¯s the [spirit] that this team has,¡± said Ramón Laureano. ¡°We keep grinding. Everybody is a grinder, and we have that in our blood. I can see it here, and that¡¯s what you guys just saw.¡±

It started and ended with the lineup¡¯s tenured bats.

Kole Calhoun sparked the Guardians¡¯ four-run top of the 11th with a two-run double to break the 6-6 tie -- the last of three hits on the day for the newly converted first baseman. Laureano, who had a three-hit game of his own, all but sealed the win with a two-run homer to left-center field that left his bat at 104.4 mph.

Closer Emmanuel Clase shut the door on the other end, pitching 1 2/3 frames with two strikeouts, one hit, one walk and an unearned run.

It was the type of gritty win that could carry momentum as the Guardians head to Minnesota for a crucial three-game set. Cleveland remains six games back of the Twins for the American League Central lead, but a series win could put the Guards in a better position entering the final month of the regular season.

¡°Huge game,¡± Calhoun said of the comeback win in Toronto. ¡°Hopefully we can use that momentum as we roll into the biggest series of the year for us right now. That¡¯s a game that you can definitely build on.¡±

It¡¯s also one that carries valuable lessons for the youngsters in the Guardians¡¯ lineup, who also contributed plenty to the series win in Toronto.

The 24-year-old Andr¨¦s Gim¨¦nez headlined that group on Sunday, hitting a clutch two-run double in the eighth to score Laureano and Calhoun and briefly give the Guardians a one-run lead. The Blue Jays tied it in the home half of the inning on Daulton Varsho¡¯s RBI single off of Trevor Stephan. Neither team scored again until the 11th.

¡°Huge win,¡± said Gim¨¦nez. ¡°We have a big series coming up against Minnesota. Those three games are going to be important for us, so winning today was huge.¡±

What¡¯s it like having game-changing veterans such as Laureano and Calhoun on their side?

¡°We¡¯re a young team, so having those kinds of leaders in the clubhouse and in the game is huge for us young guys,¡± said Gim¨¦nez. ¡°We can learn from them. From every experience, every at-bat that they have, we can learn from them.¡±

Though a guy like Jos¨¦ Ram¨ªrez -- who hit a game-tying two-run homer for his 21st of the season in the third inning -- has been imparting his knowledge on this young lineup for a while, Laureano and Calhoun are newcomers.

The Guardians claimed Laureano off waivers from the A¡¯s on Aug. 7, while Calhoun joined Cleveland through an Aug. 4 trade with the Dodgers after appearing in 35 Triple-A games for the organization.

Since then, Laureano has hit .255 with an .807 OPS and nine RBIs over 16 games. Calhoun, meanwhile, owns a .288 average with 11 RBIs over 17 contests -- all while holding his own at first base. That was evident in the ninth, when Calhoun fielded a bunt from Cavan Biggio with the game tied at 6 and a runner on second, sending a laser to third base to nab the lead runner.

¡°I don¡¯t really know what I¡¯m doing over there,¡± Calhoun said jokingly. ¡°It came my way and I thought I had a shot at third, and I took a chance. It worked out. I don¡¯t have a lot of reps in bunt situations. To be on a stage like this and have it come [my way], it just kind of worked out.¡±

With a steep climb ahead in their search for a postseason spot, these are more than feel-good stories for the Guardians.

¡°I've said it multiple times, because I mean it: Calhoun is ¡­ he's a baseball player,¡± said manager Terry Francona. ¡° ¡­ He's out there every day taking ground balls, and he¡¯s a gym rat. And we're lucky to have Laureano chipping in and doing some things, too.

¡°And they¡¯ve been hitting in the middle of the order. They've done a really good job.¡±