Josh Bell hit a two-run home run and drove in three to lead the host Minnesota Twins to a 6-4 season-ending win over the Texas Rangers on Sunday.
The loss eliminated the Rangers (80-82) from the American League West title race and the playoffs.
Texas needed to beat the Twins and the Astros to lose to the Athletics.
Starter Dean Kremer (5-5) gave up three hits and one run in seven innings for the Twins (77-85). The right-hander didn’t issue any walks and struck out four over 74 pitches.
Kremer yielded a home run to Danny Jansen, but did not allow another Texas runner past first base.
Rangers starter Mackenzie Gore allowed one hit and one run in 2 1/3 innings. The left-hander walked one and did not have a strikeout in 25 pitches.
The Rangers used six pitchers in an attempt to stay in the playoff hunt. Chase Silseth (3-4) took the loss when he gave up Bell’s home run.
The Twins took the early lead when Luke Keaschall led off the first with a walk, went to second on a Kaelen Culpepper single and scored on a Bell sacrifice fly.
The Rangers tied it in the third with Jansen’s leadoff home run.
Keaschall started another rally in the third when he was hit by a pitch with one out. Bell made it 3-1 Twins by smashing a two-out home run to right.
Minnesota extended the lead in the fifth when Walker Jenkins led off with a single. Keaschall walked and Bell loaded the bases with a one-out walk.
Ryan Jeffers made it three straight walks to bring home Jenkins for a 4-1 lead. Kody Clemens made it 5-1 by singling in Keaschall.
A.J. Minter relieved Kremer to start the eighth and pinch hitter Elias Diaz greeted him with a leadoff home run to left to cut Minnesota’s lead to 5-2.
The Twins added an insurance run in the eighth when Royce Lewis led off with a home run to center.
Texas cut the lead to two when Corey Seager hit a two-run home run in the ninth.
