By MATT PIKE
The weather conditions got progressively worse as the night went on at Kauffman Stadium, but the Kansas City Royals battled the conditions and won their third game in a row beating the Minnesota Twins 13-9 on Wednesday evening.
Just like the rain began to pour, so did the runs, backing a strong start from St. Joseph's Noah Cameron as the Royals led 12-1 by the end of the sixth inning. The big blow in the sixth inning came off the bat of Jonathan India, a grand slam making Kevin Younger of Pittsburg, Kansas $25,000 richer in the process with the first Sonic Slam grand slam since MJ Melendez in 2024.
Cameron looked strong in hist first start of the season, allowing just one hit through the first three innings, the only other baserunner being a walk to Austin Martin. As with many pitchers, it was that third turn through the lineup where Minnesota began to figure out the St. Joseph Central alum. In the fourth, the left hander allowed a double to Matt Wallner, and in the fifth the Twins broke into the run column with a double by Royce Lewis and an RBI single from Brooks Lee. The end of the fifth, marked the end of the day for Cameron.
Manager Matt Quatraro was impressed with Cameron's performance, especially at the beginning of the game.
"I thought at the beginning of the game he was outstanding, you know they started to square him up a little bit in the fourth and fifth, a couple nice plays in the outfield," Quatraro told reporters following the game. "But overall, his stuff was good, he was throwing strikes he was attacking them, he got behind a little bit, and then they squared him up the third time through there."
In a game like this having to battle the elements late, Cameron says the focus from this game will be on those first three inning of work, when conditions were more ideal.
"I think we're going to look back to that a little bit more, especially the next time we face them, what did I do when conditions were fair for everybody?" Cameron explains. "Obviously pitches were a little bit better and more consistent there."
Kansas City got to Joe Ryan early in the matchup, an opposite of the normal that happens against the Twins ace who was 8-1 in his career against the Royals coming into this game. In the second inning, back to back doubles by Jac Caglianone and Isaac Collins scored the first run. Collins scored on a single from Kyle Isbel, and after stealing second base Isbel scored on a single by Maikel Garcia to put Kansas up 3-0 at the end of the second inning.
The Royals added one more run in the third inning on an RBI single from India, driving in Vinnie Pasquantino after Lewis lost the ball in the heavy rain. Lewis fired the ball to second base though for the final out catching India attempting to advance. In the fourth inning, another run scored on a sacrifice fly by Garcia, bringing home Caglianone after Kansas City loaded the bases to open the inning, After four innings, the Royals led the Twins 5-0.
The RBI double from Lee in the fifth inning cut the lead to four runs, Kansas City scoring none in the bottom half of the fifth. After Nick Mears threw a hitless sixth inning, the Royals began to pour on the runs with a seven run inning. A bases loaded walk to Garcia and a sacrifice fly from Bobby Witt Jr scored the first two runs of the frame. Pasquantino reached on a fielders choice, driving in Isbel for another run, and after Salvador Perez walked, with two outs India hit his grand slam to left field, pushing the lead to 12-1.
Things slowly began to fall apart for the Kansas City bullpen as conditions worsened. The Twins scored three runs in the top of the seventh inning, a bases loaded walk to Martin scoring the first run, before the final two scored later in the inning on a double by Luke Keaschall, bringing home Lewis and Lee. In the bottom half of the inning, the Royals added their final run with Isbel hitting his second home run in as many games, pushing Kansas City ahead 13-4.
In the eighth, off reliever Alex Lange, the Twins added two more runs, a Victor Caratini single driving in Ryan Jeffers before a bases loaded hit by pitch on Martin scored Josh Bell. After Steven Cruz, recently called up for the injured Carlos Estevez, escaped the inning, Bailey Falter pitched the ninth, giving up three more runs on a three run home run to Bell. With one out, Lucas Erceg replaced Falter and earned his second save of the season.
Cameron earned his first win of the year, pitching five innings and giving up four hits and one run while walking one and striking out five. At the plate, Caglianone had a monster day going 3-for-4 with a double, reaching base four times. Isbel was 4-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs.
Kansas City and Minnesota wrap up their series, weather permitting, on Thursday. Cole Ragans will make his second start of the season for the Royals against Taj Bradley for the Twins. First pitch will be joined at 1:10pm on KFEQ (680AM/95.3FM).
You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.