Twins Beat Royals 5-1, Impact AL Wild Card Race

The Minnesota Twins defeated the Kansas City Royals 5-1, dealing a significant blow to the Royals' postseason hopes by pushing them two games behind the Seattle Mariners for the final American League wild card spot. Byron Buxton led the game with his 30th home run of the season, joining Kirby Puckett as the only Twins players with 30 homers and 20 stolen bases in one season, though he left early due to a bruised left knee after being hit by a pitch. Kody Clemens added a 451-foot homer in the fourth inning, extending Minnesota's lead to 3-0, and the Twins further padded their advantage with a double steal in the same inning. Twins starter Bailey Ober earned the win by allowing just one run and four hits over 5 1/3 innings, while Royals starter Michael Lorenzen took the loss, giving up four runs on five hits over the same span. Kansas City’s lone run came on an RBI single by Vinnie Pasquantino in the sixth, and the Royals threatened in the eighth but failed to capitalize, with Twins relievers Kody Funderburk and Justin Topa shutting down the rally. The Twins aim to continue their momentum with a game against the Los Angeles Angels, while the Royals prepare for a four-game series at Cleveland.