The Kansas City Royals came from behind to beat the Minnesota Twins on Saturday, June 6, as shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. played hero late in the game, hitting a ninth-inning single to give Kansas City a 3-2 lead.
Catcher Carter Jensen got the day started with his first career leadoff home run, giving the Royals a 1-0 lead against Twins starter Joe Ryan.
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Luinder Avila earned the start, his third of the season for Kansas City. He was aided by a diving catch by Isaac Collins in left field early but ultimately retired Minnesota in order in the first inning. Avila threw four scoreless frames to start the game, not allowing a hit until surrendering his first hit and run in the fifth inning.
Bobby Witt Jr. stole his 23rd base of the season in the third inning, and it’s beginning to become a foregone conclusion that when he reaches first base, he will eventually steal. Vinnie Pasquantino put a charge into one to left-center field after Witt’s stolen base, but Trevor Larnach tracked it down in the gap to end the inning.
Austin Martin recorded the Twins’ first hit of the day, and then Victor Caratini hit a double high off the right-field wall, advancing Martin to third. Tristan Gray lined out to center field, scoring Martin for the Twins’ first run.
However, despite facing a bases-loaded, no-out jam, Avila induced a double play on the next batter to end the inning. Avila threw five innings, allowed just two hits and one earned run.
After a Vinnie Pasquantino single and a dropped fly ball, Isaac Collins walked for the second time, loading the bases. Game 1 hero Josh Rojas grounded out to end the inning.
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Matt Strahm entered in the eighth inning and surrendered the Royals’ lead on a two-out, pinch-hit solo home run by Orlando Arcia, tying the game at two.
With Kansas City now trailing, Isaac Collins led off the ninth inning with a single. Tyler Tolbert entered as a pinch-runner for Collins and stole second to put the tying run in scoring position. Tolbert was nearly tagged out at second after a hard ground ball back to Eric Orze, who was in to close out the game for the Twins.
Orze fielded the ball and threw to second as Tolbert had started to make his way to third, but Tolbert was able to get back to the bag safely. Kyle Isbel laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt, advancing Tolbert to third and Josh Rojas to second with one out.
Carter Jensen hit a deep enough fly ball to score Tolbert, tying the game at 2-2. Then Bobby Witt Jr. lined a single into left field, just over the glove of the leaping Orlando Arcia at shortstop, scoring Rojas and giving the Royals a 3-2 lead in the ninth. It was Witt Jr.’s 400th career RBI, according to the Royals broadcast.
Kody Clemens stayed hot in the ninth, lining a leadoff double off Royals closer Alex Lange. However, Lange responded with two straight strikeouts. After hitting Victor Caratini, Lange faced Royce Lewis, who was playing in his first game back after being sent down to Triple-A, and struck him out looking with a fastball on the inside corner on a full count to end the game.
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It was the third straight save for Alex Lange, who has found success in the midst of Lucas Erceg‘s struggles. Kansas City has won four of its last six games and sits at 26-39, tied for last place in the AL Central.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source sports.yahoo.com ’
