KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Royals saw their win streak snapped at five games with a 5-4 loss to the Minnesota Twins on Saturday afternoon in front of an announced 21,574 at Kauffman Stadium.
Twins first baseman Miguel Sano’s sixth-inning, two-run home run provided the margin of victory.
The Royals put the first batter of the ninth inning, Kelvin Gutierrez, on base when he doubled off the center-field wall. Speedster Jarrod Dyson pinch-ran for Gutierrez, representing the tying run, already in scoring position with no outs.
Jorge Soler hit a ground ball to Twins shortstop Andrelton Simmons. Simmons didn’t field the ball cleanly, initially, but he threw to first in time to get Soler. First baseman Sano then rifled the ball to second base in an attempt to get Dyson turning to the bag.
Sano’s throw squirted away from second baseman Jorge Polanco, and Dyson made the hectic dash for third base.
Initially, third-base umpire Manny Gonzalez called Dyson out. However, upon replay review, Dyson was ruled safe.
That put the tying run on third base with one out.
The next batter, Michael A. Taylor, lined out to Simmons and Dyson was doubled off of third base.
Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers opened the scoring with a two-run, second inning homer. The Royals answered in the bottom of the inning with Whit Merrifield's two-run single.
Right Fielder Kyle Garlick put the Twins back on top with a solo home run in the third inning before Andrew Benintendi gave the Royals a short-lived lead with a two-run home run in the fifth.
