The Minnesota Twins just pulled off a wild comeback win over the Kansas City Royals on Thursday night, taking it 4-3. This wasn’t just another game for the Twins; they snapped a brutal four-game losing streak and now they’re sitting just half a game out of that final American League Wild Card spot. For the Royals? Oof. They’ve tumbled all the way to 20 games under .500 after leading most of the evening.
Bobby Witt Jr. Was Doing His Best To Keep Hope Alive
The Royals actually got things rolling early, giving their fans something to cheer about in the bottom of the third. With two outs, Carter Jensen punched a single, then Bobby Witt Jr. followed up with one of his own. Witt wasn’t done, swiping second for his 31st stolen base of the year! What a stat, right? Then Jac Caglianone, staring down an 0-2 count, absolutely laced a single to right field, bringing both runners home. Just like that, the Royals were up! Michael Wacha was on the mound for Kansas City, tossing 5 and two-thirds innings. He wasn’t exactly painting corners all night, but he mostly held the Twins in check, only giving up a solo shot to Royce Lewis in the fifth. Wacha battled, walking three guys and only fanning one, but he left with the Royals clinging to a 2-1 lead with Lewis due up again. Jose Cuas came in and somehow got the job done, surviving a wild 12-pitch battle against Lewis. Then Witt scored again in the sixth, extending the lead back to two runs, making it 3-1. Seriously, Witt was a beast all night, going 3-for-4 with a double, two runs, and that stolen base. Since coming back from the Injured List, he’s been on fire, hitting .500 (6-for-12) with two doubles, three runs, another stolen base, and two RBIs. Alex Lange even worked a clean seventh, striking out Tristan Gray after a two-out walk. You had to feel good, right?
Then The Bullpen Came To Town To Ruin Everything
Alright, buckle up, because the wheels came OFF in the eighth. Aaron Bummer, the Royals’ fourth pitcher of the night, trotted out to the mound and, man, he lived up to his name. He got a groundball out from Austin Martin to start, cool, but then he gave up a single to Luke Keaschall. Next, he walked pinch-hitter Ryan Jeffers. Then Josh Bell singled, scoring a run to make it 3-2. Just like that, runners on first and third, one out, and Bummer’s night was over. Nate Pearson, another “reclamation project” as the source calls it, came in and immediately plunked Lewis. Bases loaded! You cannot make this stuff up! Brooks Lee stepped up and ripped a two-run single to right, swinging the game to a 4-3 Twins lead. Just brutal.
That was it. The Twins held on, securing that crucial win and getting themselves right back into the Wild Card conversation. For the Royals? They’re now staring down a 20-games-under-.500 record thanks to that brutal eighth-inning collapse. You gotta wonder how many more of these their fans can take.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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