05/20/22 11:44:00
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05/20 23:42 CDT Smeltzer backed by Garlick, Miranda as Twins beat Royals 6-4
Smeltzer backed by Garlick, Miranda as Twins beat Royals 6-4
By CODY FRIESEN
Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Mo (AP) --- Kyle Garlick and Jose Miranda each drove in two runs,
leading Devin Smeltzer and the Minnesota Twins past the Kansas City Royals 6-4
on Friday night.
Garlick put Minnesota on the scoreboard with an RBI single in a three-run first
inning and added a sacrifice fly in the second. He was lifted for a
pinch-hitter in the fourth.
Miranda had two hits, including a two-run double with two outs in the eighth
that made it 6-3.
"It felt great getting that first hit out of the way," Miranda said. "Then
getting the second one in a clutch situation when the team needed me, it just
felt great to come through."
Smeltzer (1-0) allowed one run and five hits over 5 1/3 innings, throwing 74
pitches in his second major league start this season. He walked one and did not
record a strikeout.
"Smeltzer was excellent," Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. "He is helping us
win ballgames, which is all he cares about and all we care about. But he was
efficient and did a really nice job."
Jhoan Duran worked 1 2/3 hitless innings to set up Emilio Pagn for his sixth
save. Pagn gave up three hits in the ninth, including Emmanuel Rivera's solo
homer.
Carlos Santana also had a solo shot for the Royals, ending an 0-for-21 slump.
Gary Snchez hit an RBI double in the Twins first and Gio Urshela added a
sacrifice fly.
Royals starter Daniel Lynch (2-3) gave up four runs on five hits with two walks
and two strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings.
"(Lynch) was having some trouble finishing tonight and there was a reason for
that," Kansas City manager Mike Matheny said. "He had some tightness come up in
his back and felt good enough to pitch, but it was something he had to work
through. ... We tried to help him figure out a way to get through it and he got
better as he went."
Santana went deep in the seventh, and Whit Merrifield's sacrifice fly trimmed
it 4-3.
Bobby Witt Jr. had a sac fly in the first for Kansas City.
A LONG-AWAITED RETURN
Royals reliever Foster Griffin tossed a scoreless inning in his season debut
after returning from Tommy John surgery in 2020. The left-hander made his major
league debut and got his first win on his birthday in Detroit on July 27, 2020,
before an extended stint on the injured list.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Royals: INF Adalberto Mondesi (left knee ACL tear) was transferred to the
60-day injured list and RHP Ronald Bolaos (undisclosed) was placed on the
injured list.
ROSTER MOVES
Royals: Recalled RHP Matt Peacock and selected Griffin from Triple-A Omaha.
Optioned RHP Carlos Hernndez to their top farm club.
UP NEXT
Joe Ryan (4-2, 2.39 ERA) starts Saturday for Minnesota against Brad Keller
(1-3, 2.89).
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