Minnesota Twins fall to Kansas City Royals 4-2; Rocco Baldelli ejected for arguing pitch-clock violation
Kyle Isbel went 3 for 4 with a home run and two RBIs, Michael Lorenzen allowed one run in six innings and the Kansas City Royals beat the Minnesota Twins 4-2 on Monday night.
Vinnie Pasquantino had an early RBI double for the Royals. Lorenzen (1-1) permitted five hits with no walks and three strikeouts.
Carlos Estévez got three outs for his third save. He gave up a two-out RBI single to Harrison Bader before retiring pinch-hitter Edouard Julien on a grounder with two on to end it.
Pasquantino hit a high fly down the left-field line that dropped in front of Bader for a double that drove in Jonathan India — who doubled leading off the first — to give the Royals a 1-0 lead.
Willi Castro hit a two-out RBI double in the second for the Twins.
Isbel drove in a run with an infield single in the bottom half, and Maikel Garcia scored when Bobby Witt Jr. grounded out to give the Royals a 3-1 lead.
Isbel, batting ninth, added a solo shot in the sixth for his first homer this season.
Minnesota manager Rocco Baldelli was ejected in the bottom of the sixth for arguing a pitch-clock violation — which came on a full count and resulted in a walk to India — against Twins starter Simeon Woods Richardson (0-1).
MJ Melendez doubled leading off the second, moved to third on a single by Garcia and scored on Isbel's infield single to put the Royals in front for good.
Richardson allowed four runs and eight hits with four walks in 5 2/3 innings. Only the New York Yankees have fewer quality starts (zero) than Minnesota (one) this season.
Twins RHP Pablo López (1-1, 2.25 ERA) makes his third start of the season Tuesday night against Royals LHP Cole Ragans (0-0, 3.60).