Bobby Witt Jr. enjoys big night, but pitching blows up in 10-7 loss to Twins

Bobby Witt Jr. had a big night with a single, triple, and home run and 3 RBI, but Royals pitchers struggled in a 10-7 loss to the Twins on Friday. It is the eighth time this year the Royals have given up double digits in runs to their opponent.

The Royals, who have given up a league-high 41 runs in the first inning, kept up that trend on Friday by allowing four runs in the first against the Twins. Minnesota sent ten men to the plate with five hits and two walks, including a two-run home run by Jorge Polanco, and after one frame it was already 4-0 Minnesota.

But the Royals struck back in the third when Nicky Lopez and Whit Merrifield hit back-to-back singles. Bobby Witt Jr. drove a ball off the wall for a two-run triple to put the Royals on the board. Hunter Dozier followed him up with an RBI single to make it 4-3 Twins.

The Royals would tie it up in the fourth on an RBI single by Nicky Lopez. It looked like they could explode for more by loading the bases for Witt. But on an otherwise spectacular night for the rookie, he failed to come through in this instance, hitting into a double play to end the inning.

The tie would not last long as Carlos Correa led off the bottom of the inning with his third home run of the year. Minnesota would tack on another run on a Trevor Larnach sac fly to make it 6-4. Keller would depart after the fourth, his shortest outing of the year, with 11 hits allowed, 6 runs, 3 walks, and 3 strikeouts.

Bobby Witt Jr. willed the Royals back in the game with a solo home run in the seventh, his sixth dinger of the year to make it 6-5 Twins.

But Joel Payamps - who has been very effective this year - blew up in the eighth and the Twins put up four runs to put the game away. MJ Melendez would smack a solo home run in the ninth, his fourth of the year. Emmanuel Rivera would add an RBI double off reliever Yennier Cano to make it 10-7 Twins.

The Royals fall to 15-29, a game better than the Reds for the worst record in baseball. They will take on the Twins again tomorrow at 1:10 CT with Brady Singer scheduled to face Chris Archer.