Zebby Matthews threw five crisp innings to win his major league debut for the Minnesota Twins, who hit Seth Lugo hard to hand the All-Star right-hander his worst start this season and beat the Kansas City Royals 13-3.
Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Zebby Matthews throws to the Kansas City Royals in the first inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024, in Minneapolis. Minnesota Twins left fielder Matt Wallner catches a ball hit by Kansas City Royals ’ Michael Massey at the fence in the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024, in Minneapolis. Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Seth Lugo throws to the Minnesota Twins in the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug.
Matt Wallner and Jose Miranda led the barrage against Lugo from the middle of the batting order, and Max Kepler had a three-run homer and Kyle Farmer hit a two-run shot once the Twins reached the bullpen. Minnesota kept pace with AL Central leader Cleveland, still trailing by 3½ games. Kansas City fell six games back.The first four batters reached against Lugo, the major league wins leader who endured by far the shortest of his 25 starts this year.
Christian Vázquez also homered for the Twins, who got three hits and two RBIs from Miranda, and three runs plus two hits and a walk from Wallner in their 15-hit attack — eight for extra bases. Wallner started the game with a leaping catch against the left field wall to steal a home run from Michael Massey.
Matthews didn’t need much help after that. The eighth-round 2022 draft pick out of Western Carolina induced a steady stream of routine groundballs and showed off his stellar control. In 102 combined innings over four levels this season, Matthews has just seven walks and 119 strikeouts. The Twins have won 18 of their last 20 games against the Royals at Target Field, a stretch of dominance during which they’ve outscored them 123-56. The Twins are 7-2 against the Royals overall this year.Twins CF Byron Buxton was held out of the lineup with a discomfort in his right hip that prompted his early removal from the game on Monday, but an MRI test came back clean so the 10th-year veteran’s status remained day to day.
Kansas City Royals Seth Lugo MLB Sports Kyle Farmer Jose Miranda MLB Baseball Max Kepler Matt Wallner
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