By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
The Kansas City Royals trailed late but got clutch hits from the top of their lineup on way to a 3-2 win over the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday afternoon, securing their second straight series win of the season.
Kansas City opened up the scoring early in the bottom of the first, on three straight singles by Bobby Witt Jr, Vinnie Pasquantino, and Salvador Perez, the hit from Perez bringing Witt Jr home to score. The Royals could not cash in more though, Cavan Biggio flew out and Maikel Garcia struck out to end the inning. The Twins tied it up on the first at bat of the very next inning, Ty France hitting a solo home run to left center field.
As both Royals starter Michael Wacha and Twins starter Bailey Ober searched for their first wins of the season, the two pitchers locked down batters from there, until the sixth inning when Minnesota took the lead off Wacha. After Carlos Correa grounded out to open the inning, Wacha issued a walk to Trevor Larnach before being pulled for John Schreiber.
Schreiber went on to walk France, before giving up a single to Ryan Jeffers that drove in Larnach giving the Twins the lead. Schreiber settled in after that and struck out Edouard Julien and then forcing Jose Miranda into a groundout to second base to end the inning.
After leaving Witt Jr in scoring position to end the bottom of the sixth, the Royals took the lead back in the bottom of the seventh inning. MJ Melendez struck out to start the inning, before Freddy Fermin was hit by a pitch to start the rally. Recently recalled Drew Waters singled to center field, allowing Fermin to advance to third base, and Jonathan India cashed in with an RBI single, scoring Fermin to tie up the game, moving Waters to third base. In the next at bat, a sacrifice fly to center field from Witt Jr drove in Waters.
Lucas Erceg held the lead pitching a scoreless, hitless eighth inning, before Carlos Estévez closed the door in the ninth, allowing one hit, but striking out one to record his fourth save of the season.
Daniel Lynch earned the win in relief, his second win out of the bullpen, pitching 0.2 innings and striking out two, walking one. Witt Jr led the way hitting going 2-3 with one RBI.
Kansas City now hits the road for a 10 game gauntlet with series against the Cleveland Guardians, New York Yankees, and Detroit Tigers. The road trip begins tomorrow in Cleveland with Kris Bubic taking the mound against Tanner Bibee. First pitch is at 5:10pm, pregame coverage begins at 4:30 on KFEQ (680 AM/95.3 FM).
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