By MATT PIKE
Salvador Perez’s three-run homer highlighted a five-run first inning as the Kansas City Royals routed the Minnesota Twins 11-2 on Saturday night at Kauffman Stadium.
Joe Ryan allowed five runs on four hits and four walks while throwing 62 pitches in two innings, his shortest outing since Aug. 7, 2024. It was a rare poor showing for Ryan against Kansas City. In 10 previous starts he was 8-0 with a 1.34 ERA.
Vinnie Pasquantino doubled sharply off the right-field fence, producing one run before Salvador Perez’s 25th home run added three more. Nick Loftin’s double to left-center made it 5-0 as the Royals batted around in the first.
El Capitán! 🫡 pic.twitter.com/lhK8da1TEZ
— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) September 6, 2025
James Outman doubled leading off the Twins’ third — snapping an 0-for-14 slump — and Byron Buxton followed with an RBI triple before scoring on Luke Keaschall’s grounder for both of the Twins runs. The Royals responded with three runs in the bottom of the third on RBI hits by Kyle Isbel, Maikel Garcia and Pasquantino.
In the fourth inning, Kansas City native Carter Jensen had an RBI double for his first major league hit, driving in Jac Caglianone. In the bottom of the sixth inning, Loftin drove in Adam Frazier with an RBI double before Jensen drove in his second run on a groundout, again scoring Caglianone for the final run of the game.
Carter’s on the board with his first big-league knock! pic.twitter.com/06k6HT62Gc
— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) September 7, 2025
Stephen Kolek earned the win, improving to 5-5 on the season, allowing two runs on six hits in seven innings and striking out four. At the plate, Loftin was 3-for-5 with two doubles and two RBI’s. Pasquantino was 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
Kansas City played without star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., who left Friday’s game with low back spasms. Since 2023, the Royals are 3-5 in games Witt misses.
Kansas City wraps up their series on Sunday with Minnesota. Michael Lorenzen (5-9, 4.54) takes the mound for the Royals against Bailey Ober (4-7, 5.23 ERA) for the Twins. First pitch is at 1:10pm, pregame coverage will begin at 12:30 on KFEQ (680AM/95.3FM).
You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.
