Image source: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports
The Kansas City Royals flexed their muscles with a 4-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday afternoon in Minneapolis. The win helped the Royals avoid a three-game sweep in the series finale.
Paul DeJong was unstoppable at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a double and a solo home run. Bobby Witt Jr. also shined, finishing 2-for-4 with a solo homer. The duo led a powerful Royals offense that saw contributions from Kyle Isbel and Vinnie Pasquantino, who each drove in a run.
The Royals jumped ahead early in the second inning. DeJong smacked a one-out double and then advanced to third on Freddy Fermin’s single. Kyle Isbel’s groundout brought DeJong home, putting Kansas City on the board.
Bobby Witt Jr. added to the lead in the third inning with a towering 398-foot solo homer to left-center. The blast marked his 24th home run of the season and his second of the series.
The Twins managed to respond in the fourth inning when Carlos Santana sent a solo shot to left field, his 16th home run of the season. But that was all Minnesota could muster against Royals’ left-hander Cole Ragans.
Ragans (10-7) was in command, allowing just one run on five hits over seven innings. He struck out eight without issuing a walk, throwing 67 of his 106 pitches for strikes.
DeJong wasn’t done yet. In the sixth inning, he launched a mammoth 435-foot solo homer to left-center, his second since joining the Royals at the trade deadline and his 20th of the season. Vinnie Pasquantino capped off the Royals’ scoring in the seventh with an RBI double, driving in Maikel Garcia.
Royals’ right-hander Lucas Erceg sealed the win with 1 1/3 scoreless innings, earning his fifth save of the season.
This victory was a showcase of the Royals’ emerging power, led by DeJong and Witt Jr., as they look to build momentum in the latter part of the season.
