Brooks Lee’s 2-run single in 8th lifts Twins to 4-3 win over Royals

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Brooks Lee’s two-run single in the eighth inning lifted the Minnesota Twins to a 4-3 win over the Kansas City Royals on Thursday night.

The Twins trailed 3-1 in the eighth when Josh Bell hit a one-out RBI single against Aaron Bummer (1-2). Nate Pearson entered and hit Royce Lewis with a pitch, and Lee followed with his bases-loaded single to right.

Minnesota stopped a four-game skid and moved within one-half game of Texas for the final AL wild card, tied with AL Central rival Cleveland.

Lewis led off the fifth with his 13th homer, a 421-foot shot to left that extended his hitting streak to a career-best 11 games.

Kody Funderburk (3-1) worked a scoreless seventh, Andrew Morris pitched the eighth and Yoendrys Gómez struck out two in the ninth for his 15th save and second with the Twins.

Bobby Witt Jr. had his second three-hit game for the Royals since returning from a back injury on Tuesday. He singled in the third, stole his AL-best 31st base and scored on Jac Caglianone’s two-run single. In the sixth, he doubled and scored on Salvador Perez’s single to put the Royals ahead 3-1.

Twins starter Bailey Ober allowed three runs in six innings. He did not walk or strike out a batter.

Michael Wacha gave up a run on three hits and three walks in 5 2/3 innings. Kansas City has scored fewer than five runs in 15 consecutive starts by Wacha, the longest such streak of his career and longest for any major league pitcher this season. The Royals are 7-16 in his 23 starts.

Up next

The Twins have not named a starter for Friday’s series opener at Milwaukee. LHP Shane Drohan (6-4, 3.48 ERA) starts for the Brewers.

The Royals haven’t named a starter for Friday at Chicago. RHP Kevin Gausman (5-10, 4.38) is set to make his Cubs debut.

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