Cleveland – nine days. Three grand slams. A division title may be getting closer.
Royce Lewis had his first career postseason start as the former first-round pick overcame a two-year ACL injury to finally showcase his talents in the big leagues. The moment also became one of the most impressive in the history of the game.
Lewis hit his third grand slam in just over a week, continuing his incredible on-base play and capping off the Twins’ second game of the series against the Guardians on Monday. The Twins continued to rack up runs the rest of the way, eventually winning the first game of the American League Central series with a 20-6 victory.
In contrast, the Twins put all doubts to rest early as they extended their division lead to six games with 24 games to play and only two matchups remaining. The Guardians had a 6-5 lead in this season series and dominated the deciding game.
Cleveland starter Lucas Giolito walked three batters, including one with the bases loaded, in the second inning, setting the stage for another brilliant at-bat by Lewis. Once again trailing 2-0, the right-hander threw a high-speed ball on the inside corner, and Lewis’ swing sent the no-doubt ball the statistically predicted 401 yards over the high wall in left field.
It was a moment in which Lewis’ Minnesota legacy continued to grow as his home run became the highlight of his outstanding 3-for-4 performance, including one of his career-high six RBIs when he doubled with the bases loaded in the sixth inning to load the bases again.
Lewis hit a grand slam against Texas Guardians reliever Chris Stratton on Aug. 27, 2023, and another one a day later against Guardians starter Xzavion Curry, according to Elias Sports Bureau statistics. He became the first rookie in American League/MLB history to hit three grand slams in eight games or less, and the fourth player to join Larry Parrish (1982), Jim Northrup (1968) and Lou Gehrig (1931).
Lewis’ three grand slams this season also set a Twins single-season record for most grand slams in a season by a rookie player, second only to Alexei Ramirez’s four in 2008.
Lewis, 24, has hit four of his first 13 career homers, meaning he is one of the fewest home run hitters in the first 13 in American League/North Atlantic League history, trailing only Chris Taylor, who has hit four of his first 11.
In the race between Minnesota and Cleveland, Lewis will be indispensable for years to come – and forgive the ‘keepers if they’re already fatigued with Lewis, as three of those homers were hit by Cleveland pitchers. Lewis’ first home run, and the first of his career, came on May 13, 2022 off then-Guardians reliever Bryan Shaw.
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