Twins 5, Royals 8 (10 innings): Heartbreaking Bobby Witt Jr. Walk-Off Grand Slam Ends See-Saw Loss

Box Score
Sonny Gray: 6 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 5 K
Home Runs: None
Bottom 3 WPA: Jhoan Duran (-.793), Matt Wallner (-.326), Sonny Gray (-.116)
Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs)

The Twins started their warm, sweaty foray into the state of Missouri with a weekend series against the dreadful Royals. At just 29-75—bad in ways even the A’s can admire—Kansas City represented a fine opportunity for Minnesota to rack up some wins, potentially separating themselves more from the sad melee that is the best of the AL Central. With Brady Singer and his 5.55 ERA on the mound, the game barely needed to be played. 

Singer pitched… a lot. Following a relatively breezy start to the game, the former first-round pick labored, utilizing the entirety of home plate and its accompanying space in the third, fourth, and fifth as his pitch count climbed. It all worked out fine for him; the Twins could only square up a few offerings as they stared at sinkers and whiffed at sliders, leading to a season-high 10 strikeouts for Kansas City’s young righty. He exited with 104 pitches. 

Minnesota scored a pair of runs, though; Ryan Jeffers stayed on a slider and punched it up the middle to plate the first score before another expertly executed double steal tangled up Bobby Witt Jr. just long enough to allow Willi Castro to dash home. 

In comparison, Sonny Gray was smooth, efficient. While Singer fired far too many bullets in 97-degree weather, sweating, walking, and hitting batters, Gray could seemingly only find quick innings—even the run he allowed early was in a frame that took only 10 pitches. His early command wasn’t quite sharp, but it quickly came around, leading to a trio of 1-2-3 innings leading into the sixth. 

And it seemed that this would be the game’s blueprint; it didn't matter that Salvador Perez (playing first base!) robbed Matt Wallner of a multi-RBI knock in the fifth, the Twins—being the better team—owned the win by birthright, and all they needed to do was count down the outs until they could add another W to their collection.

But, no one apparently consulted the Royals in this matter, as they suddenly decided that the bottom of the sixth, with two outs, would be the best time for their stagnant, sleeping offense to break out. It started with a Maikel Garcia triple to right field—no problem; Gray just needed one more out anyways—before Witt Jr. pounded a double to tie the game. Uh oh. Finally, M.J. Melendez broke the tie, guiding a single into right-center. The Twins were no longer ahead. 

The ensuing bullpen battle didn’t move the needle in either direction. Relievers of all shapes, arm angles, and assorted offerings entered, acquired their needed outs, and left the game where they found it, but missing a few remaining outs. New Twin Dylan Floro entered for the first time; he surrendered an RBI single to Witt Jr. in the eighth. 

But there was the still the ninth, that critical game-deciding frame capable of giving and stealing hope. The Royals called upon their old weapon, Scott Barlow, to pitch. Byron Buxton—evidently now free from the tyranny of hospital cots—pinch hit and singled to center; he advanced to second on a Carlos Correa groundout. After an Edouard Julien walk and a Donovan Solano hit by pitch loaded the bases, Jorge Polanco stood as the man who could end the game, or continue hope for at least one more half-frame. In a game where he started at third base for the first time in a major-league game since 2016, Polanco came through, yanking a slider to right field to plate two. The game was tied.

And so we entered Manfred baseball. With a free man on second, Kyle Farmer squeaked a ball through the infield, bringing home the go-ahead run for the Twins.

Jhoan Duran emerged from the bullpen, ready to fire a few blazing darts before ending the game. He got Drew Waters with ease, but things were not so easy afterwards; Kyle Isbel swiped third, and Duran filled in the bases behind him, walking two to load the bases. His curve couldn't make it to the plate, diving feet before home plate as Jeffers stood on his head to ensure the tying run wouldn't score. No matter: he still had the lightning fastball to work with. He ran the count full yet again—this time to Witt Jr.—ensuring a game-altering pitch. He delivered his best: a riding, screaming 102 MPH fastball inside, but Witt Jr. knew the pitch was coming, sensed it's ensuing break, and blasted the offering 414 feet out to left field, ending the game on a miracle swing off a pitcher thought to be immortal. 

Notes:

Sonny Gray has not won a game since April 30th.

Gray is two strikeouts away from tying his total set in 2022 with the Twins.

Duran's three earned runs are the most he's allowed in an outing since April 15th, 2022 against the Red Sox—his 3rd career major-league appearance. 

Ryan Jeffers collected his third multi-hit game in the month of July.
Post-Game Interview:

Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet