By MATT PIKE
Not even arriving to Minnesota until late in the game, recently selected and called up Josh Rojas delivered a pinch hit two RBI single, his first hit with the Royals but second of the day, helping Kansas City beat Minnesota 8-6 and claim a series opening win.
Earlier in the day, with a game at noon, Rojas was in the lineup in Columbus for the Royals Triple A affiliate the Omaha Stormchasers, where he recorded a double in the top of the fifth inning before he was removed in the bottom half of the same inning to join the Royals in Minneapolis. His ninth inning heroics for Kansas City that helped change a game that had lead changes or ties in nearly every inning.
The scoring went back and forth through the first three innings, with the Royals taking the lead in the opening inning on a sacrifice fly from Salvador Perez, driving in Bobby Witt Jr, but in the bottom half Byron Buxton hit a solo home run for the Twins to tie the game. In the second inning, again Kansas City took a lead with Nick Loftin coming home on a wild pitch, but once more Minnesota tied the game in the bottom half with an RBI double from Victor Caratini, driving in Luke Keaschall.
The Twins took their first lead of the game in the third inning with their second home run of the game, a solo home run from Kody Clemens. In the fourth, Michael Massey tied the game this time for the Royals, also hitting a solo home run, his third in his last five games, to make it 3-3. But with timely hitting, Minnesota again took the lead back in the bottom half scoring one run, an RBI triple by Ryan Kreidler bringing home Trevor Larnach.
Clemens second home run of the game in the fifth inning extended the lead, putting the Twins up by two. In the sixth, Kanas City rallied with a three run inning to take the lead back, first tying the game on a two RBI double by Carter Jensen, scoring Isaac Collins and Kyle Isbel, Jensen moving to third on the throw, and scoring in the next at bat when Bobby Witt Jr reached on a fielding error giving the Royals a 6-5 advantage.
After Vinnie Pasquantino lined out to end the top half of the sixth, in the middle of the inning the game was delayed 1 hour, 7 minutes due to rain and lightning.
Once the game returned from delay, the Twins again tied the game on their fourth home run of the game, this time from Caratini, making it 6-6. After Daniel Lynch and Matt Strahm pitched scoreless innings in the seventh and eighth innings for Kansas City, the Royals took the lead on Rojas' two RBI single with the bases loaded, driving in Tyler Tolbert and Lane Thomas, who pinch ran for Perez and pinch hit for Jac Caglianone respectively.
For a second game in a row, Alex Lange pitched a scoreless ninth, allowing one hit and walking one for his second save. Strahm improved to 2-1 on the season with the win, pitching a clean eighth inning. At the plate, Massey was 2-for-4 with a home run and an RBI. Jensen was 1-for-6 with a double and two RBI's.
Kansas City and Minnesota continue their series tomorrow. Michael Wacha (4-3, 3.23 ERA, 65K's) takes the mound for the Royals against Zebby Matthews (1-3, 4.63 ERA, 24K's) for the Twins. First pitch is at 7:15pm, pregame will begin at 6:30 on KFEQ (680AM/95.3FM).
You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.