Twins 4, Royals 3: Eighth-Inning Rally Snaps Twins' Four-Game Skid

Box Score
Starting Pitcher: Bailey Ober - 6 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 0 BB, 0 K (74 pitches, 50 strikes (68% strikes))
Home Runs: Royce Lewis (13)
Top 3 WPA: Yoendrys Gómez (0.21), Josh Bell (0.20), Brooks Lee (0.17)

Win Probability Chart

The Twins entered Thursday night's series finale against the Royals desperately needing something to stop the bleeding. After buying at the trade deadline, Minnesota had dropped four straight games and lost the first two contests of this series, putting plenty of pressure on the finale.

For much of the night, it looked like that losing streak was only going to grow. The Twins managed just one run through seven innings against Michael Wacha and Kansas City's bullpen, while Bailey Ober continued to give them every opportunity to climb back into the game. Then, with the season threatening to spiral further, Minnesota finally broke through.

A three-run eighth inning erased a two-run deficit, Brooks Lee delivered yet another clutch hit, and the bullpen slammed the door as the Twins escaped Kauffman Stadium with a much-needed 4-3 victory. After four straight losses and another sluggish offensive performance, this was exactly the type of win Minnesota needed.

BAILEY OBER KEPT THE TWINS IN THE GAME
One week after tossing a quality start against Kansas City, Bailey Ober turned in another strong performance against the Royals. The right-hander cruised through the first two innings, needing just 26 pitches while allowing only one baserunner. His lone hiccup came in the third, when Kansas City strung together three consecutive two-out singles.

Carter Jensen started the rally with a single before Bobby Witt Jr. collected his second hit of the night and stole second base. Jac Caglianone then reached down to hook a two-strike changeup into right field, bringing home both runners and giving the Royals a 2-0 lead. Outside of that inning, Ober was in complete control.

He retired 11 of the final 13 batters he faced and continued working efficiently throughout the night, throwing only 63 pitches through five innings. Kansas City added another run in the sixth after Witt doubled and eventually scored on Salvador Perez's RBI ground ball that snuck through the left side, but Ober once again gave the Twins a chance to win.

His final line won't fully reflect just how well he pitched. Aside from one two-out rally and a seeing-eye ground ball, Ober was exactly what Minnesota needed.   

ROYCE LEWIS STAYS HOT
For the first four innings, the Twins had almost nothing going offensively. Alan Roden's leadoff double in the third went to waste, and after several well-hit balls found gloves early in the game, Minnesota finally broke through thanks to Royce Lewis.

Leading off the fifth inning, Lewis jumped all over a 2-0 sinker from Michael Wacha and demolished it 421 feet over the bullpen in left field for his 13th home run of the season. The blast cut Kansas City's lead to 2-1 and finally gave the Twins some life. 

Minnesota immediately threatened to do even more. Victor Caratini and Tristan Gray each worked walks before Trevor Larnach reached on an infield single that deflected off Wacha's glove, loading the bases with two outs. Unfortunately, Luke Keaschall couldn't cash in, flying out to center field to end the inning and leaving all three runners stranded.

At the time, it felt like another missed opportunity that might come back to haunt them.

BROOKS LEE COMES THROUGH AGAIN
Trailing 3-1 entering the eighth inning, the Twins finally mounted the rally they had been searching for all night.

Keaschall started things with a single before Ryan Jeffers delivered a terrific nine-pitch walk as a pinch hitter. Josh Bell followed with an RBI single to right field, bringing home Keaschall while Jeffers went first-to-third, cutting the deficit to one. Kansas City went back to the bullpen, but it didn't matter.

Lewis wore a two-strike pitch to load the bases, setting the stage for Brooks Lee. With two runners in scoring position, Lee ripped a line drive through the right side of the infield, scoring both Jeffers and pinch-runner Alex Jackson to give Minnesota its first lead of the night.   

It was another huge moment for Lee, who has developed a habit of delivering in the biggest spots this season. In a game where offense was incredibly difficult to come by, his two-run single completely flipped the outcome.

THE BULLPEN FINISHED THE JOB
Once the Twins grabbed the lead, it was up to the bullpen to make it stand. Kody Funderburk tossed a scoreless seventh before Andrew Morris made quick work of the heart of Kansas City's lineup in the eighth. Morris struck out Carter Jensen before getting Witt Jr. and Caglianone on consecutive ground balls, preserving Minnesota's one-run advantage.

That handed the ball to Yoendrys Gómez in the ninth. Things didn't start smoothly, as Salvador Perez worked a leadoff walk before Tyler Tolbert entered as a pinch-runner representing the tying run. But before Kansas City could create any chaos on the bases, Gómez calmly picked Tolbert off first base for the inning's biggest out.

From there, Gómez took over. He struck out Michael Massey after an eight-pitch battle before freezing Isaac Collins with a perfectly located backdoor sweeper to end the game.

After dropping the first two games of the series and watching another early deficit develop, the Twins refused to let this one slip away. They finally found the big hits they had been searching for all night, their pitching staff once again kept them within striking distance, and Minnesota walked away with one of its most important victories of the season.

It won't erase the frustration of the past week, but after buying at the trade deadline and immediately losing four straight, this was exactly the kind of comeback the Twins needed to remind everyone why they still believe they can make a run.

What’s Next? 
The Twins continue their road trip, as they begin a three-game weekend series in Milwaukee against the Brewers tomorrow night. No starter has been announced yet for the Twins, but whoever it may be, they'll face off against left-hander Shane Drohan. First pitch is set for 6:40 PM.

Postgame Interviews
Coming Soon!

Bullpen Availability Chart