KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Jonathan India hit a grand slam and drove in five runs, powering the Kansas City Royals to a 13-9 victory over Joe Ryan and the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday night.
Kyle Isbel went 4 for 4 with a homer and Noah Cameron pitched five solid innings to win his season debut. India’s fifth career slam — and first with the Royals — capped a seven-run sixth as Kansas City sent 11 batters to the plate while taking a 12-1 lead.
The Royals went 7 for 16 with runners in scoring position and scored eight runs with two outs.
Cameron (1-0) allowed one run and four hits while striking out five.
Four consecutive two-out hits opened a 3-0 lead for Kansas City in the second inning as Isaac Collins, Isbel and Maikel Garcia delivered RBIs.
Low clouds and a steady drizzle gave fielders trouble with flyballs, leading to a third-inning Royals run when India’s two-out infield popup fell untouched, scoring Vinnie Pasquantino from second.
The Royals added another run in the fourth on Garcia’s sacrifice fly.
Leading off the seventh, Isbel connected for his second homer of the year. He scored three runs, drove in two and matched his career high with four of the Royals’ 15 hits.
Garcia drove in three runs, while Jac Caglianone had three hits and scored three times.
Minnesota scored eight runs in the final three innings before Lucas Erceg got two outs for his second save.
Ryan (0-1), an All-Star last season, labored through four innings. He threw 77 pitches while allowing five runs and four hits.
Luke Keaschall’s bases-loaded double scored two in the Twins’ three-run seventh. Josh Bell’s three-run homer in the ninth capped the scoring.
The game featured 11 ABS challenges to plate umpire Andy Fletcher’s strike zone, with the Twins going 8 for 9 — including four successful challenges by Ryan Jeffers while batting.
Up next
Twins RHP Taj Bradley (0-0) opposes LHP Cole Ragans (0-1) in Thursday’s series finale.
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