Kyle Gibson was poised and steady and the Twins scored five runs in the 1st to win his major-league debut over the Kansas City Royals Saturday at Target Field, 6-2.
In his long-awaited start for Minnesota, Gibson could afford to be calm after the Twins used a Justin Morneau double, a Trevor Plouffe homer and a Pedro Florimon single to jump out 5-0 after one.
Plouffe, who had 3 RBI, also knocked in a run on a sacrifice fly that scored Brian Dozier in the second inning.
That would be all Gibson, a Twins first-round draft pick in 2009, would need to become the first Twins pitcher selected in the first round to win his debut.
The 25-year-old rightie must have pleased fans who have been clamoring for his arrival with the big club, going six innings with eight hits, two runs, five strikeouts and no walks. (Heck, he even beaned a guy. Way to go, kid.)
“I want to thank my teammates because the went out and got me a lot of runs,” Gibson told Fox Sports North after the game. He also thanked his parents, who were in attendance, and admitted to being more nervous two days ago than he was on this sunny Saturday afternoon.
Kansas City did get to Gibson for two runs in the 3rd inning. Four of the eight hits the Royals mustered against the rookie came then, with Alcides Escobar and Salvador Perez each collecting an RBI.
Royals starter Wade Davis had not allowed an earned run in two previous starts this season against the Twins. He suffered his first loss in nine career games versus Minnesota.
Brian Duensing, Casey Fein and Glen Perkins all pitched spotlessly in relief.
Final game of the four-game series is Sunday afternoon at Target Field.
