Byron Buxton helped tie the game in the eighth inning with a hit, while Christian Vázquez drove in the go-ahead run at the start of a four-run ninth for the Minnesota Twins against the Kansas City Royals on Saturday.
Griffin Jax got to win by pitching a scoreless eighth inning for the Twins. Brock Stewart closed the ninth inning, limiting the Royals to just one hit and bringing the Twins closer to their second consecutive season-opening sweep of their AL Central rivals.
“Our lineup performed well today. Almost everyone contributed to the win,” said Twins manager Rocco Baldelli. “Our pitchers did a great job, too. The bullpen came in and shut things down.”
Will Smith, the Royals’ new closer, had a rough debut. He hit Ryan Jeffers with a pitch and walked Willi Castro before Vázquez’s hit put the Twins ahead. Alex Kirilloff and Byron Buxton added more runs with a sacrifice fly and a double in the ninth inning.
“If we keep pitching like this,” said Royals manager Matt Quatraro, “we’ll be okay.” The Royals wasted a strong performance by Seth Lugo, who they signed for a significant amount in the offseason. Lugo pitched six excellent innings, allowing only two hits and a walk while striking out four.
“I aim to pitch as long as I can,” said Lugo. “Getting weak contact and ground balls is my strategy.” The Twins’ Joe Ryan also pitched well, retiring the first 10 batters he faced.
However, the Royals managed to score a run-off him in the sixth inning with a double from Bobby Witt Jr. and a single by MJ Melendez. Byron Buxton’s double in the eighth inning tied the game for the Twins.
