KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Cole Ragans struck out 11 in six crisp innings, and the Kansas City Royals beat the sloppy Minnesota Twins 2-1 on Tuesday night.
Kansas City won for the fourth time in five games despite managing just two unearned runs and three hits.
Bobby Witt Jr. scored the go-ahead run on Vinnie Pasquantino’s soft grounder in the eighth. Witt reached when he went all the way to third on a throwing error on Griffin Jax (0-1).
Ragans was charged with one run and four hits. John Schreiber (1-0) escaped a jam in the eighth, and Daniel Lynch IV got one out for his first save.
Minnesota had runners on the corners in the top of the eighth when Carlos Correa bounced into an inning-ending double play.
Twins right-hander pitched 4 2/3 innings of three-hit ball before departing because of right hamstring tightness. López struck out six and walked one.
The Royals jumped in front in the fourth. Witt hit a one-out double and Pasquantino reached on an error on second baseman Micky Gasper. Witt then scampered home on Salvador Perez’s grounder.
The Twins responded in the fifth. Ty France doubled and scored on Harrison Bader’s single off left fielder Mark Canha’s glove at the top of the wall.
Key moment
After walking Jonathan India, López grabbed the back of his right leg and was removed after a short visit from Twins trainer Nick Paparesta.
Key stat
Twins batters are hitting .103 against left-handed pitching this season.
Up next
Twins right-hander Joe Ryan (0-1, 4.50 ERA) and Royals right-hander Seth Lugo (1-0, 3.27 ERA) take the mound on Wednesday.
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