Twins Video
Box Score
SP: Pablo Lopez: 6.0 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 5 K (96 pitches, 71 strikes (73.9%)
Home Runs: Willi Castro (9), Royce Lewis (15)
Top 3 WPA: Willi Castro (0.251), Royce Lewis (0.156), Austin Martin (0.088)
Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs)
Coming off of a series split with the team the Minnesota Twins are chasing in the standings, the Twins open up a series with a team chasing them in the Kansas City Royals. Pablo Lopez needs to show up as the rotation leader and stop the two-game losing streak. The lineup will also need to show up and find a way to get some hits off of Brady Singer, enjoying a good pitching stretch.
Bobby Witt Jr. – still annoying
More honestly, Bobby Witt Jr. is really good at baseball. He has quickly joined the prominent list of annoyingly good players that have played for Kansas City. Witt gave Lopez first-hand experience as to why pitchers do not want to fall behind in the count to him. Behind 1-0, Lopez tried to throw a sweeper by Witt. Instead Witt deposited it in the left field bleachers for his 23rd home run and a Royals 1-0 lead.
The second inning didn’t stall out the Royals offense.
With two outs, the Royals had runners on first and second and Kyle Isbel at the plate. The Royals are all the league leaders in average with runners in scoring position so it was no surprise when Isbel lined a single to bring Frazier home to increase the lead to 2-0.
2nd Inning wake-up call
The Twins bats seemed to have been asleep after leaving the bases loaded Sunday to end the game and striking out three times to begin Monday’s game. The second inning must have been what the lineup needed. Singer got the Twins to two outs, but with their backs against the wall, the Minnesota bats got going.
Carlos Santana walked, Ryan Jeffers singled, and Austin Martin drove in Santana with his own single to shorten the lead to 2-1. Willi Castro wasn’t ready for the Twins to take the field and extended the inning by smashing his ninth home run to give the Twins a 4-2 lead.
Trevor Larnach came to bat with empty bases and sent a single just to the right of the second base bag. Then the Twins own annoyingly good player, Royce Lewis, came to the plate. He missed what looked to be the pitch to hit at one point in the at-bat but then got another one that he launched off the second deck facing for his 15th home run and a 6-2 Twins lead.
Pablo battles through
As has been a bit more the norm than the Twins would like, Lopez didn’t have his best stuff Monday but worked with what he did have to give the Twins a chance. What may have been the most impressive stretch on the night for Pablo was the way he responded to the Twins, giving him the 6-2 lead. He responded with two innings in a row, sending down the Royals lineup 1-2-3.
The performance put Lopez in line for a milestone Monday night as he reached 50 career wins. Congratulations Pablo Lopez!
Fireman Griffin Jax
As Pablo exited, Griffin Jax was turned to in the seventh as the Royals 9,1,2 batters were due up. That second spot in the Royals lineup is occupied by none other than Witt. Showing off how good Jax has been this season as Rocco Baldelli turns to him against a crucial stretch of the Royals lineup. Jax would surrender a single to Isbel but then record an out with the next three batters, including forcing Witt into a fielder’s choice groundout.
Bats pour on
The Twins bats made sure to give the Twins bullpen as comfortable of a lead as they could. In the seventh inning, the game quickly turned from a save situation to not as Larnach and Lewis reached ahead of Matt Wallner. Wallner would single to score Larnach and allow Lewis to advance to third. Manuel Margot, who entered the game for Byron Buxton who was dealing with hip discomfort, hit a sacrifice fly to bring Lewis home for a Twins 8-3 lead.
Blewett makes Twins debut
Against his former team, Scott Blewett made his Twins debut in the ninth inning Monday evening. Blewett struck out Isbel, who had made plenty of noise throughout the game. He also ended the game by retiring three Royals batters in a row.
What’s Next?
On Tuesday, the Twins will face off against Royals All-Star Seth Lugo. The Royals right-handed starter is having a career year, leading the league in innings pitched with a 2.72 ERA. Twins fans will have the opportunity to take in the much-anticipated start of another rookie pitcher, Zebby Matthews.
Postgame Interviews
Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet
| THU | FRI | SAT | SUN | MON | TOT | |
| Thielbar | 0 | 20 | 0 | 32 | 0 | 52 |
| Dobnak | 0 | 0 | 0 | 51 | 0 | 51 |
| Richards | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 34 |
| Alcalá | 0 | 16 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 31 |
| Winder | 0 | 0 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 29 |
| Sands | 0 | 18 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 27 |
| Jax | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 24 |
| Blewett | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 15 |
| Durán | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
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