MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — James McCann hit a three-homer and Heston Kjerstad went deep to launch the Baltimore Orioles into the postseason with a 6-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins that completed a three-game sweep on Sunday.
Albert Suárez (9-7) pitched six smooth innings to end a rough September on a better note, allowing solo home runs to Carlos Santana and DaShawn Keirsey Jr. among four hits with one walk and four strikeouts.
Jordan Westburg added a two-run single for the Orioles, who finished 91-71 for the first of three American League wild-card spots and will face either Detroit or Kansas City in the first round of the playoffs.
After posting the best record in the AL last season at 101-61, the Orioles were disappointingly swept in the best-of-five division series by a surging Texas team that went on to win the World Series. Injuries piled up this summer, contributing to the 10-game regression, but a lineup loaded with still-young talent led by the likes of Gunnar Henderson, Adley Rutschman and Westburg should give the Orioles as good of a chance at a championship as any team in the league after the frustrating experience last fall.
Baltimore will play in a second straight postseason for the first time since eventual Hall of Fame member Mike Mussina was fronting the rotation in 1996-97. The Orioles reached the 90-win mark in consecutive years for the first time since 1982-83. Their most recent World Series title came in 1983.
Twins starter Bailey Ober (12-9) gave up three runs in five innings to finish 0-3 in his final nine starts of what was still a productive breakthrough season for the 6-foot-9 right-hander.
The Twins stumbled to an 82-80 record, losing 27 of their last 39 games. They went 87-75 last year to win the AL Central and reach the division series.
Announced attendance at Target Field was 26,041, finalizing the 81-game total for the Twins at home at 1,951,616 with a per-game average of 24,094. That’s down 3,155 per game from last year.
UP NEXT
The Orioles will host their entire best-of-three wild card series as the No. 4 seed, beginning Tuesday at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. RHP Corbin Burnes (15-9, 2.92 ERA) will pitch Game 1.
The Twins next year will play their first spring training game on Feb. 22 against Atlanta. They open the 2025 season on March 27 at St. Louis, with their home opener scheduled for April 3 against Houston.