Bobby Witt Jr. came close to hitting for the cycle, with just a double missing from his achievement. Kyle Isbel and Maikel Garcia smacked consecutive home runs, leading the Kansas City Royals to an 11-0 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Sunday, preventing another season-opening sweep.
Salvador Perez blasted a three-run homer, earning four RBIs, while Nelson Velázquez added another homer for Kansas City. Brady Singer (1-0) pitched superbly, allowing only three hits and a walk over seven innings, striking out 10.
The Royals’ offense was exceptional, with five different players hitting home runs, matching a franchise record last set in 2020. Their 11-run victory margin was the largest since 2020.
Minnesota’s Bailey Ober (0-1) struggled, giving up eight runs on nine hits and a walk before being pulled from the game. Kody Funderburk didn’t fare much better.
The Twins had high hopes for Ober, but he couldn’t replicate the success of the previous pitchers against Kansas City.
Salvador Perez’s three-run homer in the first inning set the tone, and a six-run second inning, featuring back-to-back homers from Isbel and Garcia, gave the Royals a comfortable lead. Despite Witt’s impressive performance, narrowly missing the cycle, the Royals cruised to victory with a dominant offensive display.
Witt’s performance was excellent, but he fell short of hitting for the cycle, striking out in his final at-bat. Despite the missed opportunity, Witt remained composed, acknowledging the pitches he should have capitalized on.
