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Twins open with 2 shutouts for 1st time, beat Royals 2-0

Twins Royals Baseball
Posted at 6:18 PM, Apr 01, 2023
and last updated 2023-04-01 19:18:06-04

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Sonny Gray combined in four-hitter, Jose Miranda had an RBI single, Kyle Farmer drove in another run with a sacrifice fly and the Minnesota Twins beat the Kansas City Royals 2-0 to open with consecutive shutouts for the first time in franchise history.

Gray (1-0) allowed three hits and had a strikeout and four walks, all of which came in full-count situations. Relievers Jorge Alcalá, Griffin Jax, Caleb Thielbar and Jorge López held the Royals scoreless. Thielbar struck out three, and López got his first save of the year

The Twins and original Washington Senators had never opened with consecutive shutouts.

Miranda singled to center in the first to score Byron Buxton. Farmer came on as a pinch-hitter in the sixth and hit a sacrifice fly to center, also scoring Buxton.

Christian Vázquez went 2 for 3 with a pair of singles. Buxton also had two hits.

In his Royals debut, Jordan Lyles (0-1) threw 5 1/3 innings and gave up two runs — one earned — on five hits with two strikeouts and two walks.

Salvador Perez had a double in the fifth and a single in the eighth.

CLOCKING IN A RECORD

Franmil Reyes became the first Royal to be issued a batter timer violation at the start of his at-bat with the bases loaded in the third inning. He struck out in the ensuing plate appearance.

UP NEXT

RHP Joe Ryan will start the series finale for Minnesota. RHP Brad Keller will counter for Kansas City.