After being shut out by the Kansas City Royals last night and having some cold water thrown on their recent winning streak, the Minnesota Twins were looking to rebound and take the series today. It truly was turnabout-as-fair-play, with a far-more-refreshing cold Gatorade bath being the end result!
The Royals got on the board first in this early-start Sunday when Adam Frazier singled home Mike “Grandson-of-Carl” Yastrzemski in the bottom of the first inning. 1-0 KC.
Truth be told, things could have gone a LOT worse for Twins “starter” Jose Urena through the first 3 innings—many walks and hard-hit outs. Jose was not sharp in any capacity, but he kept KC’s 1 from turning crooked.
Wit a lil o bit o luck. (Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images) Getty Images
MIN bats roared back in B3 when a Mickey Gasper lead-off walk (which really should hold an automatic penalty all its own) was cashed in by Ryan Fitzgerald’s first major league hit—a home run just over the RF limestone and into the flower pots! 2-1 MN.
Many firsts in one Fitzgerald swing! (Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images) Getty Images
Somewhat remarkably after Urena’s opening gambit, Rocco’s Magical Arm Barn (TM) of Kody Funderburk & Pierson Ohl kept KC cleats away from home plate into T7.
Alas, Cole Sands could not do the same—immediately surrendering a single to Maikel Garcia & a home run to Vinnie Pasquantino. 3-2 KC.
The Pasquatch strikes (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) Getty Images
The Twins caught a break in B8 when KC LF John Rave misplayed a sinking liner that Austin Martin motored into a triple. Ryan Jeffers made it count by stroking a clean single! 3-3 tie.
Cool cat comes through in the clutch. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images Matt Blewett-Imagn Images
It looked like the Royals would go gentle into that good T9—until Justin Topa melted down a bit: 2B—IBB—HBP. Frazier—in search of his 5th hit of the day—would send Trevor Larnach back to the wall…but no further. Whew.
Unfortunately, the Twins went quietly in B9, so Bonus Baseball on Roku.
Imagine trying to explain to your younger self how you are watching this game. (Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images) NurPhoto via Getty Images
Despite the gift-wrapped Manfred Man, Kansas City couldn’t push it across (nor even off 2B) against Michael Tonkin in T10.
A wild sequence of events in the Twins’ next chance to put the get in get-away day: Gasper out on a foul bunt, Fitzgerald out on a long fly to LF that Rave lost in the sun and then found again, & Martin striking out looking.
An interesting afternoon in the OF to say the least. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images
More traffic in T11—and more Tonkin damage control: K’ing Salvador Perez with the bases loaded to maintain the 3-3 tie.
More ridiculousness in B11, with ghost runner Martin spinning his wheels and getting thrown out at 3B on a tag attempt.
But with two outs, Luke Keaschall decided that enough was enough:
The result: a two-run, walk-off home run over the RF wall!!!!!!!
Your Final: Minnesota Twins 5, Kansas City Royals 3.
Unbelievable!! Unreal!! Ahhhh!! What more can be said?! The Twins take their second consecutive series.
Up next: Three games @ New York Yankees (Mon night, Tues night, Wed night). Gulp.
Fitzgerald: First Major League hit and home run in one swing!Keaschall: Extending his hitting streak to 11 games and the walk-off heroics!The 26,000+ at Target Field today still supporting this squad!The Pohlads (perma-dud)Sands: 0.0 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, ERA: ∞Nagurksiinnortheast espousing the utter lunacy of the “Gasper walks; Fitzgerald homers” sequence of events for the 2025 Minnesota Twins.