With multiple injuries and a roster thin on experience, Bailey Ober and the Twins bullpen helped piece together a 2-1 victory for the Minnesota Twins over the Kansas City Royals on Sunday afternoon.
Miguel Sanó did his best to back the rookie, driving in a run on an RBI double in the top of the third inning and starting a triple play in the bottom half to preserve an early lead.
Although Ober gave up an RBI single to Andrew Benintendi to tie the game in the fourth, it was the only run he allowed over four innings with five strikeouts.
The Twins took the lead back in the fifth when Trevor Larnach was hit by a Brady Singer pitch with the bases loaded, which turned the game over to the Twins bullpen.
Despite the bullpen’s rocky performance this season, Luke Ferrell, Jorge Alcala, Tyler Duffey and Hansel Robles combined for four shutout innings.
Taylor Rogers came into the game for the save and allowed a leadoff double to Whit Merrifield and later walked Salvador Perez to put the game-winning run on base. But Rogers got Kelvin Gutierrez to ground out to Andrelton Simmons to end the game.
The Twins (24-35) are off on Monday before opening a three-game series with the New York Yankees at Target Field on Tuesday night.
