The Toronto Blue Jays will have to win their next two games to keep their season alive.
Blue Jays right-hander Kevin Gausman gave up a two-run homer to Royce Lewis in the first inning and the Minnesota Twins led the rest of the way, beating visiting Toronto 3-1 in Game 1 of the best-of-three wild-card series on Tuesday.
Lewis, who missed the past two weeks with a hamstring injury, added a second homer off Gausman in the third as the Twins snapped an 18-game playoff losing streak.
The Blue Jays cut the lead to 3-1 in the sixth on a Kevin Kiermaier single. Matt Chapman then hit a ball deep to right centre with two men on and two out, but Twins centre-fielder Michael A. Taylor made a great leaping grab to keep Minnesota on top.
Toronto had another chance to get back into the game in the eighth after a leadoff double by Vladimir Guerrero Jr., but Bo Bichette and Cavan Biggio struck out before Alejandro Kirk was retired on a groundout.
Gausman exited after four innings, struggling to generate swings and misses with his splitter.
Twins starter Pablo Lopez gave up one run on five hits in 5.2 innings for the victory.
Former Twin Jose Berrios starts for Toronto on Wednesday as the Blue Jays try to stave off elimination.
The Blue Jays have now lost their past six playoff games, a streak stretching back to 2016.
