Royce Lewis rolls into postseason for Twins with homers in first 2 at-bats

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Royce Lewis was unsure about his postseason status for the Minnesota Twins after missing the last two weeks with a strained left hamstring.

Two at-bats and two home runs later, Lewis was clearly ready to roll.

Lewis became the second rookie in Twins history to hit a postseason home run, following Scott Leius in Game 2 of the 1991 World Series, when he connected for a two-run shot in the first inning against Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Kevin Gausman on Tuesday.

“He was born for this, I think,” teammate Jorge Polanco said. “He’s very special to see in those moments. He doesn’t shy away from those moments.”

The Twins beat the Blue Jays 3-1 in the opener of their AL Wild Card Series, ending a record 18-game postseason losing streak.

The 24-year-old Lewis became the third player in major league history to go deep in his first two postseason plate appearances, following Evan Longoria for the Tampa Bay Rays in 2008 and Gary Gaetti for the Twins in 1987, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Following his two-run drive to left, Lewis pivoted toward Minnesota’s dugout to exuberantly point at his teammates and galloped around the bases as the crowd erupted. He tapped his wrist as he rounded third base, an ode to teammate Carlos Correa’s past postseason celebration to signify October is his time.

When Lewis went deep to right to lead off the third inning, he became the second Twins player in history with a multihomer postseason game. Gaetti in Game 1 of the 1987 ALCS was the first.

The fans — announced attendance was a sellout at 38,450 — enjoyed the first Twins win in the playoffs at Target Field. The ballpark is 14 years old.

“It brought that electricity into my body. I felt different,” Lewis said. “My heart was beating. It was the most nervous game, exciting game, I’ve ever played in my life. It was so much fun."

Lewis was selected by the Twins with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 amateur draft, but the start of his major league career has been interrupted by injuries. He tore the ACL in his right knee during an offseason workout in 2021 and again last year just 12 games into his Twins debut. Maintaining his rookie status in 2023, Lewis never missed a beat.

With five grand slams in 70 career regular season games, he consistently awed the Twins with his ability to come through in the clutch.

“He’s truly a special talent, the type of talent that can carry you to win a lot of ballgames when the postseason comes,” Correa said.

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