Twins arrest historic playoff win drought

WASHINGTON—Royce Lewis smashed home runs in his first two playoff opportunities and the Minnesota Twins snapped the longest post-season win drought by games in American sport history, defeating Toronto 3-1 on Tuesday in a Major League Baseball series opener.

The Twins had lost 18 consecutive playoff contests, the most in any major North American sports league, since beating the New York Yankees in the first game of the 2004 American League division series.

They were also swept out of the MLB playoffs in 2006, 2009, 2010, 2017, 2019 and 2020.

Minnesota’s victory ended the epic post-season futility run and gave the host Twins a 1-0 lead in the American League best-of-three first round series, which continues on Wednesday.

“It means a lot,” Lewis said of snapping the historic drought. “And it means a lot that the fans encouraged us and they had that energy for us. They brought it and we brought it for them.”

Also winning their AL playoff opener were the Texas Rangers, who blanked host Tampa Bay 4-0 as US pitcher Jordan Montgomery struck out six without allowing a walk over seven innings.

In National League openers, Arizona won 6-3 at Milwaukee and host Philadelphia beat Miami 4-1.

Atlanta, Baltimore, Los Angeles and defending champion Houston received first-round byes.

Minnesota’s Lewis, the 2017 MLB Draft top pick, blasted a two-run homer in the first inning and a solo homer in the third off Toronto starter Kevin Gausman.

The 24-year-old US third baseman, who recovered from a sore hamstring just in time for the playoffs, matched Gary Gaetti from 1987 as the only Twins with two homers in a playoff game.

Toronto pulled within 3-1 in the sixth when Bo Bichette singled, advanced on a walk and scored on Kevin Kiermaier’s single.

But Twins outfielder Michael Taylor leaped above the outfield wall to deny Toronto’s Matt Chapman a three-run homer that would have put the Blue Jays ahead, and Minnesota reliever Jhoan Duran got the last outs in the ninth for the triumph.

‘He had everything’

At Tampa Bay, left-hander Montgomery scattered six hits to baffle Rays batters in the fourth scoreless outing from his past five starts.

“I think he had everything,” said Texas slugger