MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Salvador Perez added to his career-best home run total, Johnny Cueto tossed five solid innings and the Kansas City Royals secured home-field advantage throughout the postseason by beating the Minnesota Twins 6-1 on Sunday.

Perez hit his 21st homer in the third inning, one behind Kendrys Morales and Mike Moustakas for the team lead.

Cueto (4-7 with Royals, 11-13 overall) allowed one run over five innings, helping the Royals finish on a five-game winning streak.

The right-hander, whose transition to the AL since a trade from Cincinnati has hardly been smooth, surrendered six hits and four walks. Cueto struck out the last two batters to leave the bases loaded in the fourth after giving up an RBI single to Danny Santana.

The defending AL champion Royals (95-67) posted their best regular-season record since the 1980 team went 97-65.

Ricky Nolasco (5-2) started for the Twins for the first time since May 31 after a right ankle injury sidelined him for the summer, but he lasted only 2 2/3 innings. Alex Gordon hit an RBI double and Alex Rios followed with a two-run double in the second, sticking Nolasco with a career-worst 6.75 ERA, though he logged only 37 1/3 innings.

Max Kepler got his first major league hit for the Twins (83-79), who stayed in wild-card contention until the next-to-last day on the schedule and enjoyed a winning record for the first time in five years. Despite that, their attendance dipped this year, the product of an eroded season-ticket base. They drew 2,220,054 fans, an average of 27,408 per game. Last year’s average was 27,785.

STARTERS FINISH STRONG

Over their last eight games, covering 48 1/3 innings, the Royals rotation posted a collective 1.49 ERA.

HUNTER’S LAST HURRAH?

The Twins used a mostly forward-looking lineup that did not include Torii Hunter, but the 40-year-old right fielder took the microphone in front of the mound for a brief pregame pep talk to the crowd. First, he congratulated the Royals for winning the AL Central division. Then, he thanked the fans for the energy they provided the players this season. He also praised his teammates, who were gathered behind him.

“No matter what’s in store for me for the future, these are my little brothers, and I love `em,” said Hunter, who will be a free agent and has not yet declared his intent to continue his career or not. He came out of the dugout in the middle of the seventh to wave to the crowd, patting his heart during the ovation.

TRAINER’S ROOM

The Royals kept center fielder Lorenzo Cain out of the lineup for the third time in four games because of a bone bruise on his right knee, but manager Ned Yost said Cain should be ready for postseason action after a four-day break. Cain dealt with a similar injury last year in October and batted .333 in 15 postseason games.

UP NEXT

The Royals will begin their AL division series at home on Thursday and Friday against the winner of the wild card game between the Yankees and Astros. Yost has not yet announced his rotation, but Yordano Ventura is on track to start in Game 1, with Cueto likely following him in Game 2.

— Associated Press —