MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Nelson Cruz hit a two-run homer and the Minnesota Twins held on to beat the Kansas City Royals 4-2 in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader.
Tyler Duffey (1-0) earned the win with a perfect inning in relief of Jake Odorizzi. Taylor Rogers picked up his fifth save in six chances for Minnesota, which was swept in Kansas City last week.
Gabe Speier (0-1) surrendered one while getting two outs for the Royals. Ian Kennedy started and pitched two innings as the opener, his first start since Sept. 28, 2018.
Odorizzi was sharp early in his second start of the season following back trouble. He didn’t allow a hit until Salvador Perez singled with two outs in the fourth and struck out six in the game.
His day unraveled quickly, though.
Ryan McBroom doubled into the right-field corner to start the fifth. The play was originally ruled foul but a video review showed the ball landed just inside the line as Max Kepler slid trying to make the catch. Kepler threw the ball into the empty stands after the foul call, but Kansas City challenged the play, and McBroom was awarded second base.
Maikel Franco followed with his fifth homer of the season, ending Odorizzi’s day.
Cruz continued to be the driving force behind the Twins’ offense. He hit a long home run off the facing off the third deck in left field in the third for his fifth homer of the season and 406th of his career. Cruz is one home run behind Duke Snider for 56th all-time.
Cruz nearly added a second homer in the fifth. His line shot appeared ready to clear the wall, but left fielder Alex Gordon pulled the ball back before it flipped out of his glove and onto the grass for a double.
In the second game, Whit Merrifield had three hits, including a three-run homer, to back Danny Duffy’s strong start as the Royals came back to beat the Twins 4-2 and earn a split.
Duffy (1-2) allowed two runs – one earned – on two hits in five innings. He struck out eight for Kansas City, which has won six of its past eight games, including a home sweep of Minnesota last week. Trevor Rosenthal issued a leadoff walk in the seventh but struck out the next three batters for his fifth save.
Nelson Cruz homered in both games of the doubleheader and now has 407 career home runs, tying Duke Snider for 56th on the all-time list. The Twins won Saturday’s first game 4-2 as Cruz had a pair of hits.
In the second game, Merrifield lined a pitch into the left-field bleachers after Minnesota starter Jose Berrios (1-3) walked two batters earlier in the inning.
Berrios gave up four runs in four innings. He surrendered five hits, tied a season-high with four walks and struck out six. He’s given up eight runs in 9 1/3 innings in his past two starts, both coming against the Royals.
Duffy, who entered the game with the third-best ERA among Twins’ opponent starters with at least 100 innings pitched since 2011, was rarely in trouble.
Minnesota scored once in the first following an error. Duffy retired 14 of 15 batters at one point, interrupted only by Cruz’s sixth homer of the season that went off the facing of the second deck in straightaway center field.
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