Detroit Lakes, MN (KDLM) – Kody Clemens turned a shutout loss into a series win with one swing Thursday afternoon at Target Field.
The Twins first baseman hit a walk-off grand slam with two outs in the ninth inning to beat the Kansas City Royals 4-3 in the finale of a three-game set.
Minnesota had managed just one hit through eight innings against Royals starter Noah Cameron, who struck out seven and walked two while throwing 97 pitches over eight scoreless frames. The Twins trailed 3-0 heading into the bottom of the ninth.
Kansas City reliever Lucas Erceg retired the first two batters he faced before loading the bases, bringing Clemens to the plate as the potential winning run. Royals manager Matt Quatraro went to left-hander Matt Strahm, and Clemens sent his first swing of consequence over the wall for his first career walk-off grand slam. Strahm took the loss without recording an out.
Twins starter Bailey Ober went six innings, allowing four hits and three runs, two of them earned, with three strikeouts. Jac Caglianone hit a two-run homer off Ober in the third inning, and the Royals added a run in the fifth. Relievers Andrew Morris, Taylor Rogers and Yoendrys Gómez each worked a scoreless inning, with Gómez picking up the win.
Minnesota finished with three hits.
The victory gave the Twins the series and marked their sixth win in the last eight games.
Minnesota opens a nine-game road trip tonight in Seattle, with first pitch scheduled for 9:10 p.m. The trip continues in Kansas City and Milwaukee.
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