MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Twins were on the verge of a repeatedly-slamming-your-head-on-the-desk kind of defeat Tuesday night until Royce Lewis saved them.From losing Byron Buxton to a hip injury, to grounding into five double plays, to surrendering the tying run on a double steal, nothing felt as if it went the Twins’ way for about 8 1/2 innings.But two-out heroics from Lewis in the bottom of the ninth inning lifted the Twins into exultation. Lewis smashed a walk-off two-run triple off the center-field fence, and the Twins rallied for a 3-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals at Target Field.
BEST CHRISTMAS GIFT EVER? pic.twitter.com/C0GunsxfbX
— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) July 29, 2026Hours after the team’s general manager identified the club as buyers for next week’s trade deadline, the Twins returned to .500 by winning for the fifth time in six games. The victory also allowed the Twins to gain ground in the American League divisional and wild-card races.“It’s easy to get frustrated,” Twins manager Derek Shelton said. “The thing about this group … is just the resiliency. They don’t let that stuff affect them. Royce didn’t let the at-bat affect him before that and just continued to go. There wasn’t hanging heads, feeling sorry for ourselves. … Huge swing right there.”It would only have been fitting for the Twins if they lost a one-run game to the lowly Royals mere hours after general manager Jeremy Zoll said, “I feel clear on the direction and opportunity that lies ahead of us” in reference to his team’s trade deadline plans.In February, Pablo López walked off the mound with a torn ulnar collateral ligament, which required season-ending surgery, only a few hours after Twins chairman Tom Pohlad gave a rousing speech before the team held its first full-squad workout.Good vibes repeatedly have had short shelf lives with this franchise since the end of the 2023 season. As quickly as they materialize, they seem to disappear. But for whatever reason, the 2026 Twins are finding ways to ward off the bad and give themselves another shot at discovering positivity.Four innings into Tuesday’s game, Buxton headed for the clubhouse after a reccurrence of a right hip injury that’s bugged him for two-plus months. He’s expected to be reevaluated today.The Twins led by a run when Buxton exited with starter Taj Bradley in control. But two innings later, a leadoff walk, two base hits and a double steal put Kansas City in front, a lead the Royals almost didn’t surrender.Even though a Twins runner reached base in every inning, they couldn’t break through. Seth Lugo induced four double plays in six sharp innings, and the Royals’ bullpen racked up another in the eighth inning. Luke Keaschall had a potential tying double taken away by Isaac Collins’ diving catch, and Alan Roden’s opposite-field rapper found a glove.Despite all that, the Twins wouldn’t go away.Victor Caratini singled off Alex Lange to open the ninth inning, and Brooks Lee drew a one-out walk. Two batters later, Lewis belted a 1-1 cutter high off the fence to provide what seemed like an improbable victory.After briefly watching the ball off the bat, Lewis put his head down and barreled toward second base. But Lewis didn’t slow down, racing at full speed and diving into third for a triple.“It just felt so good,” Lewis said. “I was praying it would go out. Then obviously, I knew it would get the job done no matter what happened, so I was stoked. I put my head down hard, so I could get that triple. I needed that.”The Twins did, too, though maybe not as much as a few days earlier. At a time seemingly every victory is critical as the front office decides to buy or sell, Zoll delivered another strong message about the club’s direction before the game.Whereas many teams are undecided, Zoll said the Twins see themselves as buyers with the intention of building out the bullpen.The Twins’ bullpen played a role in Tuesday’s win as Kody Funderburk, Travis Adams and Jack Anderson followed Bradley’s outing by combining for three scoreless innings. Together, the staff combined on a four-hitter with Bradley striking out 10 batters over six strong innings.But the entire effort would have been wasted if Lewis hadn’t come through.“There’s always a chance,” Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers said. “It’s just a single away from tying the game. When he hit that ball, we thought it might get out. You forget how somehow (at) Target Field those balls to right-center never get out for righties, but, still, it was a good win.”Festa out for seasonTwins pitcher David Festa is expected to undergo a double surgery today that effectively ends his season, Zoll said. Festa will have arthroscopic surgery to deal with his right shoulder impingement and “a pec release performed to address the neurogenic (thoracic outlet syndrome) symptoms,” Zoll said. The Twins will have more on Festa’s timeline after the procedures.Cole Sands’ season is likely over, too, after “renewed” symptoms in his right elbow landed him on the 15-day injured list Tuesday. Sands had a CT scan Tuesday and will meet with Twins doctors today to determine his next step.
