Twins now 8 games behind Guardians after loss to Royals

Minnesota can't hold onto an early lead against Kansas City in series opening loss

The bats woke up for the Twins Tuesday night but their pitching couldn’t keep the Royals’ bats quiet in the opener of a three-game series in Kansas City.

Dylan Bundy gave up four earned runs on four hits in just 4.2 innings. The Royals tagged Bundy with two home runs and only struck out twice.

Zack Greinke lasted a bit longer, going 5.1 innings before he was pulled after giving up four earned runs on ten hits.

Salvador Perez’s go-ahead RBI double in the seventh was the game-winning hit for the Royals in the seventh inning. 

The Twins drove in three runs in the second inning – two of them courtesy of a Carlos Correa single – to take an early lead, but an inning later Bundy gave up a two-run homer to MJ Melendez as the Royals drew within one.

Cleveland beat the White Sox Tuesday night so the Twins are now eight games out in the AL Central. 

First pitch Wednesday is set for 1:10 p.m.