MINNEAPOLIS -- Needing a win to keep their slim postseason hopes alive, the Minnesota Twins' playoff chances unraveled for good in a sloppy seventh inning against the Kansas City Royals on Saturday.

The Royals scored four times in the seventh, taking advantage of two misplays by the Twins in the field and winning 5-1 at Target Field.

Kansas City's dreams of gaining home-field advantage throughout the postseason remained alive and well with the win; they moved one-half game ahead of the Toronto Blue Jays for the best record in the American League pending Toronto's result later Saturday against the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Blue Jays hold the tiebreaker against the Royals thanks to a 4-3 head-to-head record this season.

"We're trying to accomplish so many objectives tomorrow," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "Tomorrow is going to be a meaningful game. We have to try and do everything we can to get a win tomorrow."

Minnesota was officially eliminated from the American League wild card race. The Twins entered the day two games behind the Houston Astros for the second wild card spot.

"There's a lot of emotion. There's a lot of guys that are taking this a little bit personal, in a good way," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "You get an opportunity, come down to the second-to-last day of the season and you come up short. Hopefully you try and make other teams win instead of us going out with a loss."

Royals shortstop Alcides Escobar started the seventh-inning rally with a one-out triple off the wall in left-center field. After a pop up to shallow left wasn't deep enough to drive him in, Twins reliever Blaine Boyer had a chance to get out of the inning unscathed.

Royals center fielder Lorenzo Cain dribbled a 3-and-2 pitch down the first base line that Boyer fielded cleanly, but his throw to first drilled Cain in the back, allowing Escobar to score.

"While I was running down the line, I was thinking I needed to shift to the middle or the outside the (baseline)," Cain said. "I've been called out before for running inside the line. I just tried to make sure I was outside of it. It ended up getting a rally started."

That's when the inning went off the rails.

Left-hander Neil Cotts entered and walked the first man he faced. Royals designated hitter Jonny Gomes followed with an RBI single to left field and left fielder Eddie Rosario's throw sailed out of play, allowing another runner to score to make it 4-1.

Third baseman Mike Moustakas then ripped a run-scoring double into the gap in right center field, scoring Gomes.

"We got that run, then guys kept swinging it," Cain said.

The big inning made a winner of Royals right-hander Yordano Ventura, who was unhittable for the first half of the game. Two walks were the only damage off Ventura through four innings, and he surrendered his first hit with two out in the fifth inning on a single by Torii Hunter.

"He has No. 1, No. 2-starter stuff," Hunter said. "He throws 97 to 99 with a two-seamer, a curveball. He showed all of that today. We tried to battle him (early) and then the shadows came in. Once the shadows come in, you don't know what's going to happen and with a guy throwing 97 to 99, it's tough to pick up."

Ventura allowed four hits and three walks in seven innings, striking out 11 in claiming his 13th victory of the season, one fewer than his breakout campaign of a year ago.

"He had everything going," Yost said. "Stayed within his mechanics, executing pitches at a real high level, all three of his pitches. He was tremendous."

Boyer was charged with the loss after being tagged with two runs (one earned) on two hits in two-thirds of an inning.

Kansas City mustered only one early run off Twins starter Tommy Milone, stringing together back-to-back two-out doubles by Cain and first baseman Eric Hosmer in the top of the first.

Milone worked around trouble the rest of the day, giving up only the one run on six hits and two walks in six innings, with five strikeouts.

An RBI single in the bottom of the sixth by Twins second baseman Brian Dozier knocked in center fielder Aaron Hicks, briefly tying the score at 1-1.

Minnesota loaded the bases with one out in the ninth inning against Kelvin Herrera. Royals closer Wade Davis entered and struck out pinch hitter Kennys Vargas and shortstop Eduardo Escobar to earn his 17th save.

NOTES: Royals OF Lorenzo Cain returned to the lineup. He missed the previous two games after fouling a ball off his right knee on Wednesday. ... Royals C Salvador Perez returned to the lineup after a day off on Friday. ... Royals LF Alex Gordon got the day off. He was replaced by OF Paulo Orlando. ... The Twins are 2-5 against the Royals at home this season. They are 5-5 in games played at Kansas City. ... The Royals and Twins wrap up the regular season on Sunday at Target Field. The Royals send right-hander Johnny Cueto (0-1, 3.48 ERA) to the mound while Minnesota counters with right-hander Ricky Nolasco (5-1, 5.97 ERA) for his first start since May 31. Nolasco missed nearly four months because of an ankle injury.