Royce Lewis is giving the Twins exactly what they need right now: a bat that’s starting to look dangerous again.
Lewis lined two doubles Wednesday at Target Field, and both came in the middle of a Minnesota comeback that carried the Twins past the Orioles, 7-5. The win gave Minnesota its first series victory since before the Trade Deadline and briefly moved the club within one game of the third American League Wild Card spot.
The Twins had to fight through two early deficits to get there, and the offense finally looked alive in a way it hasn’t for much of the second half. Josh Bell and Alan Roden each finished with three hits, and every starter except Ryan Kreidler recorded at least one run or an RBI.
Lewis was the centerpiece, though. Minnesota has leaned on his ceiling for a long time, and lately he’s been cashing in on it. After spending much of the past two seasons looking out of rhythm, the former No. 1 overall Draft pick has found a much better groove.
The turning point came in the third inning, when the Twins were down 4-1. Lewis drove a double down the left-field line off Orioles starter Shane Baz to open a four-run rally that flipped the game in Minnesota’s favor.
He wasn’t done. In the fifth, he sent another ball to the same area for an RBI double that pushed the lead to three.
For a lineup that has been searching for consistency, Lewis’ timing couldn’t be better.
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