Minnesota Twins Power Past Royals 5-1 as Buxton, Clemens Homer in Wild Card Race Showdown – Game Recap & Highlights (Sept 7, 2025)

Sunday, September 7th, 2025

Minnesota Twins Triumph Over Kansas City Royals with Power Hitting

The Minnesota Twins secured a 5-1 victory against the Kansas City Royals, powered by home runs from Byron Buxton and Kody Clemens. This win pushes the Royals two games back in the quest for the final American League wild card spot.

Game Highlights

Byron Buxton set the tone immediately, launching his 30th home run of the season to lead off the game against Kansas City starter Michael Lorenzen. Despite exiting after being hit by a pitch later in the game due to a bruised left knee, Buxton’s early blast helped fuel the Twins’ offense and extend his career-high homer total.

Kody Clemens added to the Twins’ advantage in the fourth inning, connecting for his 16th home run with a long 451-foot drive, increasing Minnesota’s lead to 3-0. The Twins capped off a successful fourth inning with a double steal orchestrated by Royce Lewis and Luke Keaschall.

Pitching Performances

Minnesota’s Bailey Ober delivered a solid outing, allowing just one run and four hits over 5 1/3 innings. His counterpart, Michael Lorenzen, gave up four runs and five hits in 5 1/3 innings for Kansas City.

The Royals plated their only run in the sixth thanks to an RBI single by Vinnie Pasquantino.

Key Moment

Kansas City threatened in the eighth inning with the tying run at the plate. Twins reliever Kody Funderburk struck out Vinnie Pasquantino, and Justin Topa induced a groundout from Salvador Perez to escape the jam and preserve the lead.

Key Stat

Byron Buxton now boasts 17 career leadoff home runs, including eight this season, showcasing his ability to ignite the Twins’ lineup.

Standings Impact

The defeat drops Kansas City (73-69) two games behind the Seattle Mariners (75-68) in the race for the American League’s final wild card berth.

Up Next

The Twins turn to right-hander Simeon Woods Richardson (5-4, 4.53 ERA) for their upcoming matchup against the Los Angeles Angels and rookie righty Caden Dana (0-0, 4.91 ERA).

The Royals start Ryan Bergert (2-1, 2.61 ERA) as they open a four-game series at Cleveland against right-hander Slade Cecconi (5-6, 4.78 ERA).

In summary

The Minnesota Twins’ blend of power hitting and clutch pitching secured a 5-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals, widening the gap in the AL wild card race. Home runs from Byron Buxton and Kody Clemens set the pace, while Bailey Ober’s strong start and timely relief pitching contained the Royals’ offense. As the playoff race intensifies, both teams look to their next series with postseason aspirations still in play.

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