Royals 10, Twins 7: Pitchers Struggle Again, Lineup Unable to Complete Comeback

[Hans Birkeland]

Coming off of a crushing defeat the night before, Twins pitchers again struggled against light-hitting Kansas City. A comeback from the lineup came up a hair short in the middle innings, and the Royals bludgeoned the Twins' bullpen late to seal a series win.

Image courtesy of Peter Aiken-USA TODAY Sports

Box Score
Starting Pitcher: Bailey Ober: 4 IP 11 H 6 ER 0 BB 5 K (90 Pitches, 60 Strikes, 66.6%)
Home Runs: Max Kepler (15)
Bottom 3 WPA: Carlos Correa (-.323), Bailey Ober (-.288), Jovani Moran (-.069)
Win Probability Chart (Via Fangraphs):

After last night's Bobby Witt-related heroics, the Twins needed a win in the worst way, and fate seemed to grace them in the form of the Royals' beleaguered journeyman starter, Jordan Lyles. Lyles came into play with a 1-12 record that somehow overstates his 6.19 ERA. He pitched well against the Twins in his first start of the year, going 5 1/3 innings and allowing one earned run. The Twins got revenge in late April, tagging him for seven runs over four innings. Let's just say today's tilt split the difference.

Opposing Lyles was Bailey Ober, who has quietly become the Twins' most reliable starter (if not their best). Ober's ability to not have a bad start has been a godsend given the increasing amount of clunkers turned in by Sonny Gray, Pablo Lopez and Joe Ryan. Unfortunately, all things must come to an end.

The night started just as last night ended, with a Witt home run, this time on a hanging 3-2 slider from Ober. Twins pitchers would do well to stop waking up elite prospects in their sophomore year after Julio Rodriguez almost single-handedly cost the Twins their previous series with the Mariners. Unfortunately, Witt and the Royals weren't done.

The offense appeared to get to work in the top of the second on a Max Kepler leadoff double. After a sacrifice fly and a Byron Buxton hit-by-pitch, Matt Wallner lifted a lazy fly ball to the opposite field. Converted catcher M.J. Melendez fired a strike to home to nab Kepler, but the Twins challenged that catcher Salvador Perez was blocking the plate. You be the judge, but Perez's actions seemed a lot more egregious than those of Gary Sanchez last year against Toronto. The call stood, however, and the Twins lost their challenge.

That proved pivotal, as Ober was picked apart in the second inning. After Michael Massey ambushed an Ober fastball for a home run, Kyle Isbel bunted towards an out-of-position (in two ways) Jorge Polanco, resulting in an easy base hit. A hit-by-pitch, misplayed fly ball and sacrifice fly followed, which brought up Witt again, and naturally he singled up the middle (with an 0-2 count) to push the score to 4-0.

Undeterred, the Royals added two more runs in the third on a horrendous little squibber from Isbell that snuck through the drawn in infield, ending Ober's impressive streak of allowing four runs or less in seventeen consecutive starts. Ober's streak of 21 starts in a row of five innings pitched or more also came to an end when Jordan Balazovic relieved him to start the bottom of the fifth.

The Twins did manage to load the bases in the fourth inning with no outs, and cashed in three runs on a Polanco grounder and two-run double from Byron Buxton. (his first of three doubles on the night) The inning was set up by the usual suspects; Edouard Julien (single), Alex Kirilloff (single) and Max Kepler (walk) all worked excellent at-bats to give the Twins life.

Lyles pitched around a leadoff walk in the fifth (to Willi Castro of all people), but the top of the order couldn't break through any further, allowing Lyles to exit in line for the win (his second all year). The Twins threatened that lead in the sixth, as Kepler homered, Buxton doubled, and Christian Vazquez drove in Buxton with a single to make the score 6-5. The inning could have really gone sideways had Correa, batting with the bases loaded, one out and facing a pitcher with an ERA over ten, not grounded into an inning ending double play.

For those that believe in momentum, well, it swung after that. Jordan Balazovic allowed hits to Witt and Perez that resulted in a run in the sixth, and Jovani Moran continued to struggle, allowing an RBI triple to Drew Waters in the seventh before Josh Winder relieved him and allowed a single and a Witt triple to push the deficit back to five runs.

The lineup made one final push in the eighth, with an RBI groundout from Vazquez and a single from Willi Castro scoring a second run. After Correa singled, the tying run would be at the plate in the form of Julien.. well it would have except Castro was thrown out trying to advance to third, a risky bet with absolutely no payoff even if he had reached safely.

The good:
Buxton has not been retired since he returned from the paternity list, with three doubles to boot.

Kepler had a homer, a double and a key walk in the fourth. His OPS is up to .744.

The bad:
Ober had a truly bad start for the first time since last May, and Moran looks like he may need some time in Triple-A.

Correa grounded into his league-leading 20th double play.

What’s Next: Kenta Maeda (2-5, 4.62 ERA) tries to salvage the series opposing the Royals' Ryan Yarbrough (3-5, 4.70 ERA)
Postgame Interviews:

Bullpen Usage Chart:

	TUE	WED	THU	FRI	SAT	TOT
Winder	0	36	0	0	40	76
Balazovic	0	32	0	0	33	65
Pagán	19	0	0	18	0	37
Morán	14	0	0	9	11	34
Floro	18	0	0	9	0	27
Durán	0	0	0	25	0	25
Jax	0	0	0	10	0	10

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[Mark G]

Bullpen looks a little beat (up?).  Let's hope Kenta can go deep into the game.  😬

 

[VivaBomboRivera!]

Thank goodness for the White Sox, I suppose.

[D.C Twins]

Great to see a good game from Buck and a good trend from Kepler, BUT....

Moran simply cannot continue to be a member of this bullpen. 

I hope that this game represents a beginning of something for Buck, but I am skeptical because his other 2 good games this season did not... 

[jkcarew]

Pitching RACING back to the pack.

Kepler wRC+ of 132 since the break (higher after tonight). Helps if you’re trading him…but makes it less likely, I suppose…since we’re in the “race”.

 

[hitterscount]

4 L’s in a row… inching back too sub .500, which still might be good enough to win the division… but if I were a betting person, I am betting on Cleveland…. This team is just not fun to watch 

[LastOnePicked]

One step forward, then the next step on a banana peel. 

Not quite the same situation as 2022, but the ending is starting to feel awfully similar.

[VivaBomboRivera!]

25 minutes ago, hitterscount said:

4 L’s in a row…

Hard to take after a four-game win streak, to be sure, but the club is still 14 - 10 (.583) since 30 June and playing pretty damn good ball (when they're not getting clubbed like baby seals, anyway ☹️). Gotta be able to take the lows with the highs.

[BH67]

Streakier than mascara at midnight.

[Boswell]

Hard to bring a 9-1 record into KC and not expect some payback…

[Peter]

Still in first by 2 games-14-10 run flush this down the toilet-win tomorrow and have winning week. Still think we win division. 

[JD-TWINS]

We need to get 2 pitchers!!

Winder - Sands - Moran can’t see the mound again in the big leagues in ‘24 without serious injury plaguing the rest of the Bullpen.

We get Thielbar back in 2-3 days. Stewart seems to be a month away. No guarantees with either of them.

We’ve got 3 guys at the top in the Pen & 3 guys at the bottom. We need two experienced arms in our pen by Wednesday morning!! Can’t just hope Stewart & Thielbar “work out for us”.

Need action, & 2 new arms with that action for bullpen stability & depth.

Thielbar - Jax - Duran……………….Pagan - Floro - Balazovic ………………need 2 guys to fill in the middle for us.

[bighat]

I remember when the Twins were 8-2 since the break and everyone seemed to have completely forgotten who this team was. Alas, this latest handful of blown games shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone.

It's been the same group of players all year folks. Nothing changes if nothing changes. These type of losing streaks are going to keep happening for the next 2 months, even if the Twins make a splash in the trade market. 

Staying above .500 and winning the division are both big challenges for this team and they'll be struggling to achieve both of those goals the rest of the way. 

[Doctor Wu]

Ugh, the pitching is not looking too good all of a sudden. Giving up so many runs in back-to-back games against the Royals?! Double ugh!! On the bright side, Buxton had three hits and didn't strike out at all! Plus, Kepler is looking locked in for a change. Keeps those bats hot, but man, let's get the pitching back on track. 

[mikelink45]

Fascinating.  We spend the first half praising the pitching and anguishing over the hitting.  Now the hitting is doing sell in this second half and the pitching has gone away - Ryan, Gray, Ober what is happening?  

And the over worked BP is a mess.  So far the converted starters - Winder and Sands have not done the job and I am still waiting to see what Balazovic does as the season progresses.  I had hopes that Moran could do the job, but he has blown up and is worthless right now.  We continue to overuse the BP and with the SP in a slump it only gets worse.

Buxton and Kepler are playing the way we had expected - finally.  Gallo did not play and we still had 10 Ks.  Of course we were against an all-star starter and his 1 - 12 record. 

[Whitey333]

Tough games.  Twins have lost 4 in a row just when it looked like they may turn it around.  Sound familiar?  Twins have given up35 runs the past 4 games.  The pitching seems to have developed a few cracks.  If our pitching goes south we are done.  Not surprised though as this team has been doing this fir the past three seasons.  Not much has changed.

[terrydactyls]

Remember the Brittany Spears song "Oops I Did It Again"?  That should be the theme song for the Twins.  A winning streak followed by a losing streak.  Look like a playoff team for a short time and then play like the '62 Mets.  I hope they don't blow up the already depleted farm system (remember 2022?) just for the chance to break a losing streak.  Think long term and sell anyone not in the 2024 plans (if anyone wants them!).

[chinmusic]

51 minutes ago, terrydactyls said:

Remember the Brittany Spears song "Oops I Did It Again"? 

Hmm... Optimistically "A Change is Gonna Come" (Sam Cooke)

             Realistically   "Tomorrow Never Knows" (Beatles)

 

[wabene]

12 hours ago, VivaBomboRivera! said:

Hard to take after a four-game win streak, to be sure, but the club is still 14 - 10 (.583) since 30 June and playing pretty damn good ball (when they're not getting clubbed like baby seals, anyway ☹️). Gotta be able to take the lows with the highs.

Nothing wrong with a little optimism, eh VBR? In any year there isn't a team that doesn't lose at least 50-60 games. A big picture perspective is prudent. I don't see you thumbing down the rampant negativity of those that ride a wild emotional roller coaster. It's unfortunate that your welcomed positivity and big picture perspective is met with such resistance. 

[David Maro]

Correa is and was a disappointment last night again. Can't even hit a sacrifice fly to get the game tied. Not only a terrible average with RISP, keeps hitting into double plays. He now has hit into 20 double plays leading all of baseball. Maybe the analytics should of told Rocco to PH with Farmer. May have changed the outcome of the game at that point. And maybe would of had Correa look at his approach in those situations.

[gman]

Looks like they waited much too long to start hitting. Pitching staff looks burnt and bedraggled from carrying the load too long.

[Fritzderkat]

Very disappointing. Also very typical. Regardless of whatever "upside" may fleetingly occur, this team cannot be taken seriously

[hitterscount]

15 hours ago, VivaBomboRivera! said:

Hard to take after a four-game win streak, to be sure, but the club is still 14 - 10 (.583) since 30 June and playing pretty damn good ball (when they're not getting clubbed like baby seals, anyway ☹️). Gotta be able to take the lows with the highs.

Yep…. Racking up the losses against bad teams is a great look and a viable option for postseason success, if they get there 

[VivaBomboRivera!]

8 hours ago, hitterscount said:

Yep…. Racking up the losses against bad teams

Bitter taste, to be sure, but something _every_ ball club experiences at least once _every_ season. There is a time to throw in the towel, but that time has yet to arrive.