Taj Bradley threw six scoreless innings and the visiting Minnesota Twins belted three home runs in a 5-1 victory Thursday afternoon against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City.
Bradley (1-0) surrendered just five hits, striking out three and walking one for Minnesota, which salvaged the three-game series after dropping the first two. Matt Wallner, Kody Clemens and Josh Bell each homered in the ninth inning for the Twins, who snapped a three-game losing streak.
Cole Ragans (0-2) suffered the loss despite not allowing an earned run. Ragans gave up four hits, striking out eight and walking one. Kansas City had its three-game winning streak halted.
Minnesota struck first in the top of the second, as Salvador Perez’s errant throw on an attempt to pick off Clemens at second base allowed the Twins to grab an early lead.
Bradley retired the first eight Kansas City batters he faced before Kyle Isbel’s two-out single in the third. Maikel Garcia followed with a walk, but Bradley struck out Bobby Witt Jr. to end the threat.
The Royals loaded the bases in the fourth, before Bradley struck Lane Thomas out to preserve the one-run cushion.
Matt Strahm replaced Ragans in the seventh after 89 pitches, throwing a scoreless frame in relief.
Minnesota reliever Kody Funderburk entered for Bradley in the bottom of the seventh, retiring the side.
In the eighth, Kansas City’s John Schreiber allowed Bell’s leadoff walk and Royce Lewis’ double. Schreiber then struck out Tristan Gray and intentionally walked Trevor Larnach. From there, Byron Buxton’s sacrifice fly added an insurance run for the visitors.
Against Cole Sands in the bottom of the eighth, Garcia and Witt singled to begin the frame, before Pasquantino’s sac fly cut the deficit in half.
Wallner, Clemens and Bell all belted solo homers off Steven Cruz in the top of the ninth to put Minnesota ahead 5-1.
Justin Topa worked around a leadoff error and Isaac Collins’ walk in the ninth to seal the win.
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