Bullpen Sparkles as Royals Beat Twins, 5-4

Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

A professional baseball contest was staged this afternoon at the storied corner of Lancer Lane and Royal Way, between the Royals of Kansas City and the Twins of Minneapolis. The Kansas Citians began the match seeking a fifth consecutive victory, keen to avenge an appalling series sweep at the hands of these same evil Twins perpetrated last weekend in Minnesota. The Royals club would satiate their ravenous appetite for revenge this day, and bring glory to their city as they administered a sound thrashing to their humiliated and disgraced opponents by a score of 5-4.

Bruce Chen, recovering from a buttocks strain that postponed his previously scheduled appearance, started and was credited with the win for the Royals, but wasn’t sharp (glute pain will put anyone off their game) as he gave up eight hits, four walks, and four runs in just five innings of work. Earlier this week, manager Ned Yost voiced some concern at starting Bruce immediately after Friday’s starter Jason Vargas, as both lefties have such similar soft-tossing pitching styles. Those concerns appear well-founded, and it bares watching between now and the next opportunity to re-calibrate the rotation on April 28th.

All five Royals runs scored in a big fourth inning rally. Down 2-0 as they came to bat, the Royals would collect five hits, a sac-fly, a hit batsman, and a double steal which prompted a run-scoring throwing error during the inning.The Twins answered with a rally, scoring two more in the top of the fifth, but failed to muster the requisite skill and courage to triumph in the end.

Alex Gordon was 3 for 4 on the day with a double and run scored, while Billy Butler, Nori Aoki, and Omar Infante each had two hits. Mike Moustakas walked and drove in a run with a deep sac-fly, and Justin Maxwell also collected his first hit and RBI on the short season.

Also of note in this game:

* Justin Maxwell failed to make a play on a deep drive to center, which immediately prompted thoughts that the injured Lorenzo Cain would have made the catch (probably unfair to Maxwell).

* Danny Duffy, Wade Davis, and Greg Holland each struck out two in a combined four innings of scoreless relief.

The Royals have a chance to even the season series at three wins each Sunday afternoon, when Royals phenom Yordano Ventura (must-see TV) goes against Twins veteran Phil Hughes.