By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
For a second consecutive day, the Minnesota Twins won over the Kansas City Royals in walk off fashion, coming back and winning 5-4 in the middle game of a three game series at Target Field on Saturday afternoon.
The Royals had tough luck at the plate in the matchup, striking out 18 times against the Twins pitchers and going just 3-for-11 with runners in scoring position. It was however Kansas City that took the lead first in the game.
Maikel Garcia put the Royals on the board in the third inning, singling with the bases loaded and driving in Freddy Fermin and Vinnie Pasquantino. Kansas City added their final two runs in the fifth inning, Pasquantino doubling home Jonathan India who walked to open the inning, and Salvador Perez singling to score Pasquantino.
In the bottom half of the fifth, Minnesota cut the lead to one scoring three runs, a big inning that started with a leadoff home run by Harrison Bader. Willi Castro was hit by a pitch and Christian Vázquez singled, and after both advanced on a groundout by Trevor Larnach, Ty France singled to drive in both runs. In the bottom of the sixth, Kody Clemens tied up the game with another solo shot leading off the inning.
Angel Zerpa, who replaced starter Michael Wacha following the leadoff home run, John Schreiber, and Lucas Erceg combined for three scoreless innings before Daniel Lynch was brought on in the ninth inning. Lynch ran into trouble, walking Carlos Correa and Ryan Jeffers, getting Vázquez to pop out between the walks, before being replaced by Steven Cruz. Cruz got France to ground out, advancing Correa and Jeffers to second and third respectively, but couldn’t get out of the inning giving up the walk off single to Brooks Lee, scoring Correa.
Lynch was charged with the loss, falling to 3-1 on the season. Wacha in the no decision pitched five innings giving up four runs on seven hits, striking out one and walking one. Pasquantino led the way at the plate going 3-4 with one RBI and two runs scored.
Kansas City and Minnesota wrap up their series tomorrow. Kris Bubic (5-2, 1.47 ERA) takes the mound for the Royals in the finale against Bailey Ober (4-1, 3.68 ERA) for the Twins. First pitch is at 1:10pm with pregame at 12:30 on KFEQ (680AM/95.3FM).
You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.
