MINNEAPOLIS — Josh Rojas wasted no time making an impression on his new team.
Hours after being recalled from Triple-A Omaha, Rojas delivered a clutch, two-run single in the top of the ninth inning to propel the Kansas City Royals to a thrilling 8-6 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Thursday night.
Stepping into the batter’s box for Nick Loftin with the bases loaded and one out, Rojas smacked a sharp single up the middle off Minnesota reliever Justin Lawrence. The hit broke a 6-6 deadlock and completed a resilient night for Kansas City.
The high-scoring affair was punctuated by power surges, a lengthy weather delay, and late-inning bullpen drama.
A Back-and-Forth Battle
Minnesota leaned on the long ball early against Royals starter Seth Lugo. Kody Clemens launched two solo home runs, while Byron Buxton and Victor Caratini each added solo shots of their own. In total, Lugo surrendered five runs on six hits over five innings of work.
The Royals clawed back in the sixth inning, sparked by a two-run double from Carter Jensen. Jensen later scored the third run of the frame thanks to a miscommunication by the Twins defense; two fielders converged on a shallow pop fly, resulting in a fielding error by shortstop Ryan Kreidler and giving Kansas City a 6-5 lead.
Momentum was temporarily halted just after the inning concluded, as lightning and heavy rain forced a 1-hour, 7-minute weather delay.
Ninth-Inning Drama
After Minnesota managed to tie the game, setting the stage for the ninth, Lawrence—making just his second appearance for the Twins since being acquired from Pittsburgh on Monday—struggled with his command. He walked Maikel Garcia to load the bases, setting up Rojas’s late-game heroics.
Reliever Matt Strahm (2-1) earned the victory after throwing a scoreless frame in relief. Alex Lange shut the door in the bottom of the ninth, securing his second save of the season.
Minnesota deployed a heavy bullpen game, using Andrew Morris as an opener before cycling through six additional pitchers. Taylor Rogers (1-3) was saddled with the loss after being charged with the two decisive ninth-inning runs. Michael Massey also contributed to the Royals’ offensive night with his sixth home run of the year.
Up Next
The division rivals face off again on Friday night.
- Kansas City: RHP Michael Wacha (4-3, 3.23 ERA) will look to bounce back after a tough outing where he surrendered six runs.
- Minnesota: RHP Zebby Matthews (1-3, 4.63 ERA) takes the mound, also searching for a rebound performance after giving up seven runs in his last start.
