Bobby Witt Jr. reaches career milestone as Royals rally for road win over Twins
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- Bobby Witt Jr. recorded his 400th career RBI with an RBI single in the ninth.
- Carter Jensen hit a tying sacrifice fly; Witt's RBI single won it.
- Alex Lange earned his third save on the road trip by striking out three Twins.
The Kansas City Royals found themselves in another close game on Saturday afternoon against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field.
It’s been a common theme during this four-game series. And it appeared the Twins pressed the right buttons late in game two.
In the eighth inning, Twins manager Derek Shelton sent in right-hander Orlando Arcia as a pinch-hitter face Royals left-hander Matt Strahm. After a six-pitch battle, Arcia hit a solo homer over the left-field wall to give Minnesota a 2-1 lead.
The Royals (26-39) didn’t go away, manufacturing two late runs for a 3-2 victory.
In the ninth, Isaac Collins reached with a leadoff single — and this time, Royals manager Matt Quatraro called upon Tyler Tolbert as a pinch-runner.
Tolbert immediately stole second base. Then Josh Rojas got aboard on a fielder’s choice. Both baserunners would eventually score, flipping over the batting order.
“We felt really good about the ability to steal that base,” Quatraro said. “You know, (Tolbert) in general and anybody. But in that matchup in particular.”
Kyle Isbel had a key sacrifice bunt that moved Tolbert and Rojas over. Rookie catcher Carter Jensen followed with a sacrifice fly to tie the game 2-2.
“Just put the ball in play,” Jensen said of his ninth-inning approach. “Put the ball in play in the outfield, preferably. Our runner at third base, it’s not going to take a lot to get (Tolbert) in. So just stick to my plan and approach.
“I said it a couple days ago, but you’ve got the best hitter and player in baseball behind me. Just let him get up, get a run in and let him do his thing. That’s what he did.”
Indeed, it was shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. who drove in the go-ahead run with an RBI single. It was the superstar shortstop’s 400th career RBI. Witt, 25, has also hit safely in 15 of his last 18 games at Target Field.
“That’s Royals’ baseball right there,” Witt said. “Just playing the game.”
Right-handed reliever Alex Lange shut the door on the Twins in the ninth inning. He picked up his third save of KC’s current road trip.
Lange worked around Kody Clemens’ leadoff double and a hit-by-pitch in the bottom of the ninth. He struck out Minnesota sluggers Josh Bell, Austin Martin and Royce Lewis to preserve the victory.
“Got to walk the tightrope, you know,” Lange said. “My college coach, Alan Dunn, always said, ‘Bend, don’t break.’ So flush it and get the next hitter. Just keep driving forward.”
The Twins dropped to 30-36. Minnesota ace Joe Ryan earned a no-decision after allowing one earned run on six hits with five strikeouts and two walks across six innings.
Luinder Avila posts strong start
Prior to the late-inning heroics, the Royals gave right-handed starter Luinder Avila an early lead. After Jensen led off the game with a homer, Avila pitched four scoreless innings in his second start.
Avila mixed his pitches well against the Twins. He showcased each of his five pitches effectively.
He got his first strikeout in the second inning, retiring Martin on an 87.2 mph slider located perfectly at the bottom of the zone. Avila’s slider generated six swings and four whiffs, per Baseball Savant.
“Felt really good with all the pitches, thank God,” Avila said via a translator.
Avila ran into trouble in the fifth inning. He allowed two hits — Martin broke up his no-hit bid with a leadoff single — and a run scored. Twins shortstop Tristian Gray hit a sacrifice fly that tied it 1-1.
The Twins also loaded the bases in the fifth, but Avila benefitted from an inning-ending double play. That would be the last batter he’d face Saturday.
“I missed two pitches,” he said. “I pitched tough to (Royce) Lewis and I knew first base was open. I knew when I had the bases loaded that I had to bear down and go hard at them. Avoid runs.”
Summoned in relief, Daniel Lynch IV pitched a scoreless sixth inning. And Lucas Erceg, who made his first appearance since blowing Tuesday’s save, worked around a walk to keep the game tied in the seventh.
Avila settled for a no-decision but showed poise and confidence as he continues to draw starts.
“Really efficient,” Quatraro said of Avila. “I think (he was) executing pitches and (getting) soft contact for the most part. I think the one pitch to (Victor) Caratini, I think the one for the double ... was probably the only one that he would want back. But I think he threw the ball really well.”
Royals’ Jac Caglianone exits early
Outfielder Jac Caglianone departed Saturday’s game in the fourth inning with soreness in his right shoulder.
“He’s just a little sore,” Quatraro said. “We don’t think it’s anything structural. But he was favoring it a little bit in his swing, so we didn’t want to take any chances.”
Caglianone injured the shoulder running into the right-field wall in Friday night’s game. He started Saturday’s contest in right field, but Lane Thomas took over after entering the game as a pinch-hitter.
Thomas reached base three times as a defensive replacement — via a fielder’s choice, single and walk.
What’s next: A battle of southpaws. Royals left-hander Noah Cameron (2-4, 4.22 ERA) will start Sunday’s series finale opposite Twins left-hander Connor Prielipp (2-3, 5.26 ERA). First pitch is set for 1:10 p.m. Central Time.
This story was originally published June 6, 2026 at 4:11 PM with the headline "Bobby Witt Jr. reaches career milestone as Royals rally for road win over Twins."
