Orioles will play Royals in Wild Card Series after closing season with 6-2 win over Twins
MINNEAPOLIS—The Orioles ended the final week of the regular season with five wins in six games and their first series sweep since June 7th-10th. They also found out on Sunday that they will play the Kansas City Royals in the wild-card series that starts on Tuesday at Camden Yards.
The Orioles defeated the Minnesota Twins, 6-2, before 26.091 at Target Field on Sunday.
The Royals held on to defeat the Atlanta Braves, 4-2, while the Detroit Tigers lost for the second day in a row, 9-5, to the Chicago White Sox, who set a modern-day record by losing 121 games. The Tigers will play the Houston Astros in the wild-card round.
The Orioles end the season 91-71 after winning two of three at Yankee Stadium and the three-game sweep of the Twins.
Albert Suárez (9-7) allowed two runs on four hits in six innings. Carlos Santana and DaShawn Keirsey Jr. homered for Minnesota (82-80).
James McCann hit a three-run home run in the fifth against Bailey Ober (12-9). Jordan Westburg had a two-run single in the seventh. Heston Kjerstad homered for the first time since July 7th in the eighth.
Seranthony Domínguez, Gregory Soto, Jacob Webb and Colin Selby combined for three scoreless innings.
Manager Brandon Hyde rested Anthony Santander and removed Gunnar Henderson, Cedric Mullins, Ryan O’Hearn and Ramón Urías early to rest them for the wild-card series.