Witt’s grand slam in the 10th inning gives the Royals an 8-5 victory over the Twins

By: Cody Friesen, The Associated Press Posted: 10:49 PM CDT Friday, Jul. 28, 2023 Last Modified: 11:31 PM CDT Friday, Jul. 28, 2023

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr.'s grand slam in the 10th inning gave the Kansas City Royals an 8-5 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Friday night.

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr.'s grand slam in the 10th inning gave the Kansas City Royals an 8-5 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Friday night.

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr.’s grand slam in the 10th inning gave the Kansas City Royals an 8-5 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Friday night.

Witt finished 4 for 5 with six RBIs, falling a triple short of the cycle and pulling out the game for the Royals on a full-count pitch after they blew a 4-2 lead in the ninth.

“I knew he was trying to attack me, didn’t want to walk me,” Witt said. “I tried to let him come to me and just make something happen.”

Minnesota Twins second baseman Edouard Julien fields a ground ball by Kansas City Royals' Kyle Isbel for an out during the seventh inning of a baseball game in Kansas City, Mo., Friday, July 28, 2023. (AP Photo/Colin E. Braley)

Brady Singer struck out a season-high 10 in five innings for the Royals, who needed their 13th comeback win of the season after Jorge Polanco’s two-run double with two outs in the ninth tied it at 4-all.

“We did some things all right tonight, but we had plenty of opportunities early in the game. We left a lot of people on base. Some of it was our doing, some was just bad luck,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “We ran into trouble with command late in the game. It was frustrating not to win these kinds of games with the way we came back.”

Minnesota went ahead on Kyle Farmer’s RBI single in the 10th off Taylor Clarke (2-4) before Witt won it with his 17th homer of the season off Jhoan Duran (2-5).

“The quickness of the swing, to pull it nonetheless, that’s what stood out to me the most,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “As far as the emotion, to see the guys get something like that, Bobby especially, but the whole team. The relief, the elation of it is really cool to see.”

Kyle Isbel hit a leadoff 400-foot home run off Twins starter Sonny Gray in the third. It was the first homer allowed by Gray against the Royals since August 2014.

Witt also had an RBI double in the sixth and a run-scoring single in the eighth.

Gray pitched six innings and gave up three runs on five hits with five strikeouts. Gray extended a 15-game winless streak dating back to April 30 against Kansas City.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Minnesota Twins' Max Kepler (26) slides past Kansas City Royals catcher Freddy Fermin to score during the fourth inning of a baseball game in Kansas City, Mo., Friday, July 28, 2023. (AP Photo/Colin E. Braley)

Royals: Nick Pratto (left groin strain) was placed on the 10-day injured list. Samad Taylor was recalled from Triple-A Omaha in the corresponding move.

ROSTER MOVES

Twins: The Twins activated Jorge Polanco from the 10-day injured list. RHP Cole Sands was optioned to Triple-A St. Paul. Minnesota also activated RHP Dylan Floro, who was acquired in a trade with Miami on July 26.

UP NEXT

RHP Jordan Lyles (1-12, 6.19 ERA) will take the mound for the Royals on Saturday. RHP Bailey Ober (6-4, 2.76 ERA) will counter for Minnesota.