The Kansas City Royals are unbeaten no more. The Minnesota Twins picked up just their second win of the season with a 3-1 victory Wednesday night at Target Field.
It was a nice bounce-back game for the Twins, who lost to Kansas City 12-3 in Monday’s home opener.
Kyle Gibson (1-1) went 6 2/3 innings, giving up one run on nine hits, while striking out three. Gibson was helped out early by the Twins’ defense, which turned double plays in each of the first two innings to help him stay out of trouble.
The victory delighted Minneapolis’ biggest Twins fans.
I'm gonna celebrate/
With a couple of firkins/
Cause @Twins beat @Royals /
Behind Gibson and Perkins!!— R.T. Rybak (He/Him) (@R_T_Rybak) April 16, 2015
Brian Duensing finished the seventh inning, Casey Fien tossed a perfect eighth, and Glen Perkins picked up his first save.
Oswaldo Arcia provided the punch for a Minnesota offense that was held to just five hits. His two-run home run in the bottom of the fourth inning was the difference maker.
In case you were wondering what @arciaoswaldo just did… #MNTwins pic.twitter.com/l2TlhPwGLE
— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) April 16, 2015
Minnesota took the early lead in the bottom of the first as they loaded the bases with no outs. Brian Dozier hit a drive to deep center field that Royals center fielder Lorenzo Cain ran down, allowing Danny Santana to score. But that was all the Twins could muster.
The Twins held the 1-0 lead until the fourth inning, when Alex Gordon laced a two-out RBI single to right field off of Gibson, to even the game at 1-1.
But in the bottom of the fourth, Arcia’s two-run blast put the Twins back on top 3-1.
Edinson Volquez struck out seven in 7 2/3 innings, while taking the loss for Kansas City.
The Twins and Royals close the series on Thursday afternoon at Target Field. The Twins will send Tommy Milone to the mound against Jason Vargas for Kansas City.
