Associated Press
 |  The Detroit News

Minneapolis – Brooks Lee hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the sixth, pinch-hitter Royce Lewis had a three-run shot in the seventh and the Minnesota Twins ended the Cleveland Guardians’ 10-game winning streak with a 6-2 victory on Sunday.

The Guardians lost for only the fourth time in 20 games and missed a chance to pull even with Detroit in the AL Central after the Braves finished off a sweep of the Tigers with a 6-2 victory. Cleveland will host Detroit for three games beginning Tuesday.

Minnesota, which never led and was outscored 20-2 in losing the first three games in the series, grabbed a 3-2 lead when Lee greeted reliever Matt Festa (5-4) with his 16th home run. Luke Keaschall reached base with a one-out double off Erik Sabrowski before Lee’s blast.

Tim Herrin left after allowing two-out singles to Kody Clemens and Austin Martin in the seventh and Lewis greeted Hunter Gaddis with his 13th homer for a four-run advantage.

Steven Kwan hit the third pitch from Simeon Woods Richardson for his 11th home run and Bo Naylor added a sacrifice fly to put the Guardians up 2-0. Naylor has an RBI in six straight games, the longest stretch by a Cleveland catcher since Victor Martinez had a seven-game run in 2007.

Byron Buxton had a two-out double off Joey Cantillo in the third before scoring on a single by Clemens to cut it to 2-1. It was the Twins’ first run in 23 innings.

Woods Richardson allowed two runs on three hits in a five-inning start. Kody Funderburk (4-1) pitched a scoreless sixth for the win.

Cleveland (84-72) won nine of 13 games against Minnesota (67-89) this season.

Jays first AL team in playoffs

Kansas City, Mo. – Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Andres Gimenez drove in two runs apiece as the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Kansas City Royals 8-5 Sunday and clinched a playoff berth.

Toronto is the first team in the American League to secure a spot in the playoffs, returning to the postseason for the first time since 2023, and improved its AL-best and AL East-leading record to 90-66.

The Blue Jays scored three runs in the second inning on run-scoring hits by Gimenez, Tyler Heineman and George Springer. Guerrero hit a two-run double in the fifth and Addison Barger followed with an RBI double to give Toronto a 6-2 lead.

After the Royals cut their deficit to 6-5, Ernie Clement and Gimenez had RBI hits in the eighth to extend Toronto’s lead to 8-5.

Brewers claim NL Central

St. Louis – As celebratory prosecco and Miller Lite poured down his face, Christian Yelich soaked in the satisfaction of the Milwaukee Brewers’ third straight NL Central Division title.

“This is the why,” Yelich said Sunday after the Brewers clinched, courtesy of the Cubs’ 1-0 loss in Cincinnati. “This is why everything’s harped on throughout the year. Why we pay attention to detail, why there’s tough love throughout the season, why you keep grinding and why you keep trying to get better is for these moments – the fact that you can celebrate with your teammates.”

Carrying the best record in baseball, the Brewers won their fourth division title in the past five seasons and yet feel like the underdogs as the playoffs loom.

“In baseball, any team could beat anybody, especially in short series. Obviously we’re not going to be favored. Everyone’s going to kind of point to our question marks and how there’s other teams that have more experienced players and, on paper, super talented rosters,” Yelich said. “But I think that gives our team a freedom. Nobody thinks that you’re going to be able to do this. So go out there and just play.”

Milwaukee lost Willy Adames to free agency and traded away closer Devin Williams in the offseason, and it was unclear what contributions veterans Brandon Woodruff (shoulder surgery) and Yelich (back) would be able to provide.

Both were able to be key players, although Woodruff’s status for the postseason is in question after he went on the injured list Sunday with what the team described as a moderate lat strain.

“Are we the most talented? No. Are we going to go up against teams far more talented with four times the payroll? Sure, but it doesn’t bother this team,” manager Pat Murphy said.

Since 2018, the Brewers have lost in the wild-card round four times, in the division series once and in the NL Championship Series once. The franchise’s only pennant came in 1982.

After losing 5-1 to St. Louis, the Brewers had to wait less than a half-hour before the Cubs’ game ended. The team put on navy blue “division champs” shirts, sprayed bottles of chilled prosecco and dumped cans of Miller Lite on each others’ heads.

A blue flag with late announcer Bob Uecker’s signature hung in the soaked visitors locker room.

Owner Mark Attanasio suggested there was some “Brewer magic or Uecker magic” in this team.

“It’s really just the culture. We show up every spring training with the goal of winning the division,” said Sal Frelick, in his third year with Milwaukee. “So it’s been great. I’m fortunate to be able to do it every year.”