Brooks Lee homered and drove in two runs, and the Minnesota Twins held on for a 5-3 win over the Kansas City Royals on Friday night in Minneapolis.
Josh Bell doubled and drove in a run for Minnesota, which evened the four-game series at one win apiece. Tristan Gray went 2-for-3 with a double.
Vinnie Pasquantino and Jac Caglianone (two hits) each doubled and drove in a run for Kansas City. Maikel Garcia also drove in a run for the Royals.
Twins right-hander Zebby Matthews (2-3) allowed two runs on five hits in seven innings. He walked four and struck out two.
Royals right-hander Michael Wacha (4-4) surrendered five runs (four earned) on eight hits in 5 2/3 innings. He walked none and struck out two.
Twins right-hander Travis Adams picked up his second save despite allowing a run in the ninth.
The Royals opened the scoring in the top of the first. Pasquantino and Caglianone each hit RBI doubles to give Kansas City an early 2-0 lead.
The Twins cut the deficit to 2-1 in the third. Alex Jackson scored from third base on Lee’s RBI fielder’s choice grounder to second.
Both starting pitchers remained in control until the sixth, when the Twins erupted for four runs to grab a 5-2 lead.
Lee started the big inning with a home run to right to make it 2-all.
Kody Clemens doubled in the next at-bat and scored moments later on Bell’s go-ahead double to left. Bell scored to make it 4-2 after Arcia singled and Caglianone committed a throwing error in right field.
The Twins pushed their lead to three when Arcia scored on a wild pitch by Wacha.
Kansas City pulled within 5-3 on an RBI groundout by Garcia in the ninth.
Twins center fielder Byron Buxton left in the third because of a right shoulder contusion. Chasing down a drive by Carter Jensen, Buxton banged against the outfield wall while making the catch. He initially stayed in the game, but was replaced by Gray in the bottom of the inning.
