Aug 14, 2024

Royals avoid sweep with 4-1 win over Twins

Posted Aug 14, 2024 8:22 PM

By MATT PIKE

St. Joseph Post

The Kansas City Royals avoided a sweep against a division foe, beating the Minnesota Twins 4-1 on Wednesday afternoon at Target Field in Minnesota. 

Royals center fielder Kyle Isbel opened the scoring in the second inning on a groundout back to the pitcher, scoring third baseman Paul DeJong.  Bobby Witt Jr would extend the lead in the third, blasting his 24th home run of the season to left center field. 

Former Royal and Twins first baseman Carlos Santana would narrow the lead to one run hitting a home run of his own to left field for the lone run of the game for Minnesota. 

DeJong had his best game since being traded to the Royals, going 3 for 3 at the plate, and pushing the lead back to two runs in the sixth inning with a home run of his own to left center field.  A double from Vinnie Pasquantino would bring the final run across as Maikel Garcia scored in the seventh inning. 

After struggles from Royals starting pitchers through the first two games of the series, Cole Ragans pitched a gem for Kansas City.  Ragans struck out eight over seven innings, giving up just the one run on five hits.  Sam Long and Lucas Erceg would pitch two scoreless innings out of the bullpen, Erceg earning his fifth save of the season and first as a Royal.

Kansas City is off on Thursday as they travel to Cincinnati to begin a series with the Reds on Friday.  Michael Lorenzen is scheduled to start the series, against the team that drafted him in 2013, for the Royals while Nick Martinez will start for the Reds.  First pitch is at 5:40pm with pregame at 5 on KFEQ.