Twins Rally for Second Consecutive Walk-Off Victory Against Royals

With two outs in the ninth inning, Brooks Lee delivered a clutch RBI single, propelling the Minnesota Twins to a 5-4 walk-off victory against the Kansas City Royals on Saturday. This win marked the Twins' second consecutive walk-off triumph, showcasing their resilience after overcoming a four-run deficit.

Harrison Bader and Kody Clemens contributed to the offensive surge with home runs, as Minnesota extended its impressive record to 16 wins in their last 18 games. The momentum shifted dramatically when pinch-hitter Carlos Correa drew a walk against Royals pitcher Daniel Lynch IV (3-1), setting the stage for a thrilling finish.

Following Correa's walk, Ryan Jeffers also walked, placing two runners on base. With Steven Cruz on the mound, Lee grounded a ball up the middle, marking his first career walk-off hit and sealing the game for the Twins.

Earlier in the series, Ty France had already made headlines with a two-run homer in Friday's 3-1 victory. On Saturday, Minnesota's closer Jhoan Duran (3-0) secured the win by pitching a scoreless ninth inning.

For Kansas City, Vinnie Pasquantino stood out with three hits, although the team struggled offensively, striking out a season-high 18 times. Bobby Witt Jr. notably contributed to this statistic, tying his career high with four strikeouts.

Pasquantino's performance included an RBI double and Salvador Perez's RBI single in the fifth inning, which initially gave Kansas City a commanding 4-0 lead. However, Bader's home run and France's two-out, two-run single in the same inning narrowed the gap to 4-3.

Clemens then tied the game with a leadoff home run in the sixth against Royals starter Michael Wacha, who allowed seven hits and four earned runs over five-plus innings.

In a tense moment during the top of the ninth, Kansas City's Drew Waters faced Duran with the bases loaded and two outs but grounded back to the pitcher, extinguishing the threat.

Making his second start since being recalled from Triple-A last Sunday, Minnesota's Zebby Matthews threw 81 pitches over four innings, allowing two earned runs on five hits while striking out a career-high nine batters.

Looking ahead, Royals left-hander Kris Bubic (5-2, 1.47) is set to face Twins right-hander Bailey Ober (4-1, 3.68) in Sunday’s matchup.