MINNEAPOLIS — Max Kepler, Jorge Polanco and Jose Miranda homered because the Minnesota Twins stayed scorching on the plate with an 8-6 win over the Kansas City Royals on Friday.
Kansas City loaded the bases with two outs within the ninth inning, however Jorge López struck out Nick Pratto on a full-count pitch for his second save.
Salvador Perez had three hits, together with a house run, and two RBIs for the Royals. Pratto added three singles and two RBIs, and Edward Olivares doubled twice, tripled and scored three runs.
The Twins have scored 33 runs of their final 5 video games after beginning the season in an offensive droop. The three homers gave Minnesota 36 on the season, second-most within the American League behind the Rays.
“The home runs are a big part of it. They really are,” Twins supervisor Rocco Baldelli stated. “But I think we’ve been pretty consistent in talking about the way that we’ve approached the at-bats and just the way that our at-bats have gone over the past week. That’s what leads into those kinds of really important big swings and guys driving the ball around the ballpark. It’s coming from laying off the pitches we don’t want to swing at, that we might have been swinging at earlier in the year but lately we haven’t.”
After the primary pitch was delayed two hours by rain, Royals starter Jordan Lyles (0-5) gave up seven runs in 4 innings.
PHOTOS: Twins hit 3 extra homers, beat Royals 8-6
Minnesota right-hander Pablo López (2-2) struggled for the second straight outing however nonetheless pitched into the seventh for the third time in six begins this yr. He allowed six earned runs whereas placing out seven.
In his earlier outing final Saturday, López gave up 5 earned runs over 4 innings in a loss to Washington. It was his first begin after the Twins signed him to a $73.5 million, four-year contract.
“I tried to search for something that wasn’t really there,” López stated of his pitch choice. “Like the home run to Salvador, I called that pitch. I shook (catcher Christian) Vázquez right away to that pitch. Like I said, I just kept searching for it and the curveball wasn’t there, so it’s a mistake on me.”
Polanco’s second homer of the yr, a three-run shot to proper subject, put the Twins on prime 7-2 within the fourth. He began the season on the injured record with knee soreness, however is hitting .367 (11 for 30) with 9 RBIs since making his 2023 debut final Friday.
Kepler led off the underside of the primary together with his third homer of the season. Miranda hit his third in three video games main off the fifth.
“It’s real nice to see the line moving, you know?” Kepler stated. “Nobody’s too greedy. Nobody’s selfish. We rely on and trust the guy behind us to get the job done in whatever situation we’re in. It’s nice. When we play small ball, big things happen.”
Miranda’s drive gave the Twins an 8-2 lead, however the Royals wouldn’t go down quietly. In the sixth, Perez hit a protracted homer into the bullpen. Olivares then hit a two-out triple and scored on a single by Pratto.
Kansas City added two extra runs within the seventh, keyed by Perez’s RBI single.
Royals supervisor Matt Quatraro was ejected for arguing balls and strikes within the eighth. He objected to a known as third strike by umpire Jerry Layne with Michael Massey on the plate because the potential go-ahead run.
3-FOOT DOUBLE
Michael A. Taylor introduced residence a run within the fourth for Minnesota with one of many shortest extra-base hits in baseball historical past. With Joey Gallo on third base and one out, Taylor laid down an ideal squeeze bunt in entrance of residence plate. Perez, the catcher, fielded the bunt, however second baseman Massey was late overlaying first, forcing Perez to carry the ball.
Taylor then alertly sprinted to second base when he noticed it had been left uncovered. The play was scored an RBI double for Taylor on a ball that didn’t attain the infield grass.
“Honestly, I didn’t see it,” Taylor stated. “I stepped on first and our first base coach Hank (Conger) was telling me, ‘Go two, go two.’ All the credit goes to him. I was kind of just thinking about beating Massey to the bag. I didn’t realize there was nobody covering until he told me.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Twins: RHP Kenta Maeda (triceps pressure) will likely be shut down till his signs subside, based on coach Nick Paparesta. Maeda is predicted to get replaced within the rotation by RHP Bailey Ober, who was recalled from Triple-A St. Paul and will likely be activated to face the Royals on Saturday. … RHP Tyler Mahle was recognized with a posterior impingement of his proper elbow and in addition received’t resume throwing till the soreness is gone.
UP NEXT
Royals: RHP Brad Keller (2-2, 3.96 ERA) faces Minnesota on Saturday afternoon. Keller took the loss towards the Twins on April 2 in Kansas City however is 2-0 in three highway begins this season.
Twins: Ober (1-0, 1.59) made his 2023 debut on Sunday, pitching into the sixth inning in a win over Washington.
Content Source: www.washingtontimes.com