Twins split doubleheader, lose to Royals 4-2 in Game 2

MINNEAPOLIS  — Whit Merrifield had three hits, including a three-run homer, to back Danny Duffy’s strong start as the Kansas City Royals came back to beat the Minnesota Twins 4-2 and split Saturday’s doubleheader.

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 José Berríos (1-3) walked two batters earlier in the inning.

Berríos 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.

Up Next

Minnesota’s surprise right-hander Randy Dobnak (3-1, 0.90 ERA) starts Sunday for the Twins. Kansas City counters with rookie RHP Brady Singer (1-1, 4.50). Dobnak has allowed two runs in 20 innings over four starts this season. Singer, the Royals’ first-round draft pick in 2018, earned his first major league win last week against Minnesota when he gave up two runs in five innings.