It was a pitcher’s duel all day in the Twin Cities. The offense’s got going late, but it was the Royals getting the last laugh, beating the Twins 3-2 after a 2-run top of the 9th inning.
Carter Jensen hit a leadoff homer to the right field seats off Joe Ryan. The first career leadoff homer for Jensen, it was also his 8th on the season.
Luinder Avila was really good, his first 4 innings of work were hitless, with a pair of walks. He did run into trouble in the 5th. Austin Martin hit a leadoff single and Victor Caratini smashed a double off the right center field wall. Royce Lewis worked a walk, loading the bases with nobody out. Tristan Gray crushed a liner to center, but Kyle Isbel was able to get underneath it. 1-1 on the sac fly. Avila’s last pitch of the day was the biggest one, inducing Ryan Kreidler to hit into an inning ending double play.
Avila’s final line was 5 innings, 2 hits, 1 run, 3 walks and 3 strikeouts, on just 70 pitches.
The Royals had plenty of runners on against Joe Ryan but failed to capitalize. Ryan went 6 innings, allowing 6 hits, 1 run, 2 walks and striking out 5.
Daniel Lynch IV got a 1-2-3 6th. Lucas Erceg gave up a 1 out walk, but no further damage was done in the 7th, an encouraging sign for the heavily struggling Erceg.
Matt Strahm got the 8th, after recording two quick outs, pinch hitter Orlando Arcia launched his first homer of the year to put the Twins in front 2-1. Strahm quickly retired the next batter to end the inning.
Isaac Collins led off the 9th with a single, Tyler Tolbert pinch ran for him and stole second base. Josh Rojas reached on a fielder’s choice, on a grounder back to the pitcher, but the throw went to second trying to get Tolbert, his headfirst dive back into the bag beat the tag.
Isbel would bunt the runners over, before Jensen tied the game with a sac fly to right. Bobby Witt Jr. up next, and he lined one over the head of Arcia at shortstop, Rojas would beat the throw home and the Royals were ahead 3-2.
Alex Lange got the 9th, trying to record a third consecutive save. He allowed a leadoff double to Kody Clemens off the right field wall but bounced back with two straight strikeouts. Caratini got hit by a 2-2 pitch, bringing up Lewis. After a long battle and full count, Lange struck him out looking.
The Royals have now clinched at least a series split; they are 4-5 on the long road trip. They are 26-39 on the season. Noah Cameron starts the finale tomorrow afternoon. First pitch is set for 1:10 p.m. CT.
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