Willi Castro hit a three-run homer, Royce Lewis hit a two-run shot, and the Minnesota Twins pulled away for an 8-3 win over the Kansas City Royals on Monday night in Minneapolis.
Austin Martin, Matt Wallner and Manuel Margot chipped in one RBI apiece for Minnesota, which won the opener of a three-game series.
Bobby Witt Jr. homered for the Royals. Kyle Isbel and Adam Frazier added one RBI apiece for the Royals, who dropped to 2-6 against the Twins this season.
Twins right-hander Pablo Lopez (11-8) gave up three runs (two earned) on six hits in six innings. He walked none and struck out five.
Royals right-hander Brady Singer (8-8) surrendered six runs on eight hits in five innings. He walked two and fanned nine.
Witt Jr. wasted no time giving the Royals a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. He ripped the second pitch he saw 401 feet to left-center field for his 23rd homer.
The Royals increased their lead to 2-0 in the second. Isbel hit a two-out single to right that scored Frazier from second base.
Minnesota erupted against Singer for six runs in the bottom of the second.
Martin started the scoring with an RBI single to right field that drove in Carlos Santana. Moments later, Castro ripped a three-run homer to right field to make it 4-2.
Trevor Larnach followed Castro with a single to right. One batter later, Lewis belted a two-run shot to left field for his 15th homer to boost Minnesota’s lead to 6-2.
Kansas City pulled within 6-3 in the sixth. Frazier singled to right to score MJ Melendez.
In the seventh, Wallner and Margot provided a pair of insurance for the Twins to make it 8-3. Wallner hit an RBI single to right and Margot lofted a sacrifice fly to center.
Twins outfielder Byron Buxton left the game because of right hip discomfort after striking out in the fifth. The team described Buxton’s status as day to day.
–Field Level Media