Royals 3, Twins 2: Late-Inning Momentum Swings and a Costly Mistake Decide the Game

Box Score
Starting Pitcher: Joe Ryan - 6 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 5 K (102 pitches, 66 strikes (65% strikes))
Home Runs: Orlando Arcia
Bottom 3 WPA: Eric Orze (-0.63), Josh Bell (-0.24), Royce Lewis (-0.21)

Win Probability Chart

The Twins entered Saturday afternoon's matchup against the Royals looking to secure at least a series split before Sunday's finale. Earlier in the day, they welcomed Royce Lewis back from Triple-A St. Paul after a dominant stretch with the Saints, inserting him into the lineup for his second-ever major league start at second base. 

With Byron Buxton unavailable after leaving Friday night's game with a shoulder contusion, Minnesota needed someone else to step up offensively.

Instead, another frustrating one-run loss slipped away in the late innings. The Twins received six strong innings from Joe Ryan and got a clutch performance from Orlando Arcia off the bench, but a costly mistake in the ninth inning helped Kansas City rally for a 3-2 victory at Target Field.

The loss dropped Minnesota to another frustrating defeat in a game that was there for the taking.

JOE RYAN SETTLES IN AFTER EARLY HOMER
The afternoon could not have started much worse for Joe Ryan. On the third pitch of the game, Carter Jensen jumped on a two-strike curveball and launched it over the wall for his eighth home run of the season, giving Kansas City a quick 1-0 lead.

Ryan's first inning was laborious, requiring 21 pitches and featuring another two-strike hit by Vinnie Pasquantino. It looked like the Royals might be in for another productive afternoon against the Twins' ace. Instead, Ryan gradually found his rhythm.

After an eight-pitch second inning, he recorded the 800th strikeout of his major league career when he punched out Kyle Isbel in the third. He continued to work efficiently through the middle innings, retiring nine of ten hitters at one point and giving Minnesota exactly the kind of stabilizing outing it needed.

The biggest test came in the sixth. Pasquantino opened the inning with a single, and a bloop hit by Lane Thomas later put runners on first and second with one out. After Michael Massey flew out, Ryan walked Isaac Collins to load the bases and bring the go-ahead run into scoring position.

With the game hanging in the balance, Josh Rojas grounded a ball right back to the mound. Ryan calmly fielded it and flipped to first, escaping the jam and preserving the tie.

Despite throwing 25 pitches in the inning, Ryan completed six innings on 102 pitches while allowing just one run. It marked the fourth time in his last six starts that he has worked six innings while allowing just one run.

THE TWINS FINALLY BREAK THROUGH
For much of the afternoon, Minnesota's offense had no answers for Royals starter Luinder Avila.

The Twins managed just one baserunner through the first four innings and didn't record their first hit until Austin Martin lined a single into right-center field to lead off the fifth.

That hit finally sparked some life. Victor Caratini followed with a double off the wall in right-center, putting runners on second and third. Royce Lewis showed some patience by working a walk to load the bases.

Tristan Gray delivered the Twins' first run of the afternoon with a sacrifice fly to center field that scored Martin and tied the game at one. Unfortunately for Minnesota, that would be the only damage they could do after loading the bases, as Ryan Kreidler would ground into an inning-ending double play.

The game remained deadlocked until the eighth inning, when manager Derek Shelton elected to hit Orlando Arcia for Trevor Larnach against left-hander Matt Strahm.

The move paid off immediately. Arcia got a 2-2 fastball on the outer third of the plate and drove it into the left-field seats for his first home run as a Twin, breaking the 1-1 tie and giving Minnesota a 2-1 lead with just six outs remaining.

After struggling to generate offense all afternoon, it appeared the Twins had finally found the decisive swing.

A COSTLY NINTH-INNING MISTAKE
Taylor Rogers and Yoendrys Gómez combined for two scoreless innings after Ryan exited, putting Minnesota in position to hand the ball to Eric Orze in the ninth. Things unraveled quickly.

Collins opened the inning with a single, and Tyler Tolbert entered as a pinch-runner. Tolbert immediately stole second base on the first pitch of Rojas' at-bat, putting the tying run in scoring position with nobody out.

Moments later came the turning point, when Rojas hit a routine ground ball back to Orze. Rather than taking the sure out at first base, Orze attempted to throw behind Tolbert at second. The play failed, leaving runners at first and second with nobody out and giving Kansas City a golden opportunity.

The Royals took full advantage. Isbel successfully bunted both runners into scoring position, and Jensen followed with a sacrifice fly to right field that tied the game at two.

With the go-ahead run still at second, Bobby Witt Jr. lined a ball over Arcia's head in left field. Rojas raced home ahead of Kody Clemens' relay throw, giving Kansas City a 3-2 lead.

What likely should have been one out and a runner on second instead became a rally that flipped the game. The decision not to take the easy out at first base proved incredibly costly.

ONE LAST CHANCE FALLS SHORT
Minnesota didn't go quietly in the bottom of the ninth.

Clemens led off the inning with a double off the wall in right field, immediately putting the tying run in scoring position. After Josh Bell struck out and Martin went down swinging, the Twins appeared to be running out of opportunities.

Caratini kept the inning alive when he was hit by a pitch, bringing Lewis to the plate as the potential hero. The crowd buzzed as Lewis worked the count full, but Alex Lange finished the at-bat with a front-door cutter that caught the inside corner for strike three.

Lewis stood frozen, and the game was over. For a Twins team that received a quality start from Ryan, got a clutch home run from Arcia, and held a lead entering the ninth inning, the loss was particularly difficult to swallow.

In a game where offense was scarce and every out carried extra importance, one failed decision on a routine ground ball ultimately proved to be the difference.

What’s Next?
The Twins and Royals conclude their four-game set tomorrow afternoon, with another 1:10 PM first-pitch. We’ve got a battle of lefties tomorrow, as it’ll be Connor Prielipp for the Twins and Noah Cameron for Kansas City. 

Postgame Interviews
Coming Soon!

Bullpen Availability Chart