KANSAS CITY, Mo. _ Right-hander Jake Odorizzi took a few shots in the first inning, giving up four runs. But it was blow to the ribs in the fourth that did him in as the Royals downed the Twins, 7-2 on Friday.
Alex Gordon's line drive nailed Odorizzi in the side before deflecting toward second base. Odorizzi dropped to all fours as Gordon ran safely to first to put two men on. The liner had an exit velocity of 103.2 miles per hour, so it was like being hit with an Aroldis Chapman fastball.
Twins head trainer Michael Salazar and manager Rocco Baldelli went to the mound to check on Odorizzi, who was making his third start of 2020 since recovering from an intercostal strain. The pitcher tried to shake off the blow, but he was removed from the game. After giving up the first inning runs Odorizzi had steadied somewhat to throw two scoreless innings before giving up a leadoff single in the fourth.
The Twins later announced Odorizzi had a right abdomen contusion, meaning a bruise but no breaks.
Right-hander Jorge Alcala replaced Odorizzi, only to see infielder Adalberto Mondesi bunt past him to load the bases. One out later, Alcala walked Whit Merrifield, forcing in a fifth run. Alcala struck out the next two batters to get out of the inning without further damage, a monumental achievement.
Zack Littell followed Alcala in the seventh and gave up a two-run home run to Hunter Dozier that gave the Royals a 7-1 lead over the undermanned Twins. Littell hit Jorge Soler with his next pitch, then left the game because of an injury of his own _ the Twins later said he was suffering from right elbow inflammation.
The Twins are just starting their 10-game road trip but probably wish it was already over. They left the Twin Cities having taken two of three from Milwaukee, but the series was costly as outfielder Byron Buxton and catcher Mitch Garver landed on the injured list.
So the Twins are facing Kansas City, Cleveland and Detroit with their roster as depleted as it has been all season. Baldelli on Friday decided to rest shortstop Jorge Polanco, who had appeared in every game until that point. So the Twins took on Danny Duffy and the Royals without five starters _ Polanco, Buxton, Garver, Josh Donaldson and Luis Arraez.
The Royals have proven that they aren't the pushovers they were in 2019, so it didn't help when Odorizzi forgot the GPS for home plate in the first inning.
He gave up a leadoff double to Merrifield. He fell behind 2-0 to Nicky Lopez before Lopez singled to right, sending Merrifield to third. Hunter Dozier popped a ball behind third base that someone should have caught. But Miguel Sano overran the ball while second baseman Ildemaro Vargas pulled up late. Merrifield scored the first run of the game.
Odorizzi then left a 1-2 pitch up in the zone that Soler extended his arms and rifled it into the seats in left for a three-run home run and 4-0 lead.
Eddie Rosario scored on a groundout in the second to put the Twins on the board but that was it against Duffey. Last Saturday, Duffey held the Twins to one earned run over five innings as Kansas City beat them 4-2 in the second game of a doubleheader. On Friday, Duffey held the Twins to one run over five innings on four hits and two walks with six strikeouts.
With more than half of the starting lineup sidelined, rallying was tough.
The highlight of the night was Alcala, even though he walked in one of Odorizzi's runs he power through the Royals lineup for three innings, giving up a hit and a walk while striking out six and hitting 99 miles per hour on the radar gun while flashing a slider that was unhittable at times.
