MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Nelson Velázquez homered twice, Salvador Perez hit his team-leading 10th homer of the season and the Kansas City Royals snapped a three-game skid with a 6-1 win over the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday night.
Velázquez’s first homer came in Kansas City’s four-run third inning. After Minnesota jumped out to an early 1-0 lead, the Royals countered with four runs off Twins starter Bailey Ober.
Perez drove in the go-ahead run with a double to left, and Veláquez knocked in Perez two batters later with a two-run shot to center for a 4-1 lead.
Perez hit a solo homer in the fifth inning and Veláquez followed with his seventh homer of the season to give the Royals a 6-1 lead.
That was plenty of run support for Royals right-hander Seth Lugo (9-1), who earned his fourth win in as many starts. Lugo allowed one run on six hits in six innings, with his career-best ninth win.
It was the second time this season the Royals roughed up Ober (5-3). The Twins' right-hander also surrendered three homers and eight total runs against Kansas City in his first start of the season on March 31.
Ober allowed six runs on nine hits in five innings on Wednesday.
The victory helped Kansas City avoid what would have been a season-high, four-game losing streak. The Royals have lost three straight games three times this season.
Twins third baseman Jose Miranda drove in the game’s first run with a sacrifice fly to deep left field. It was the third straight game in the series that Miranda had the first RBI of the game. He homered in the third inning of Monday’s series opener for a 2-0 lead, and had a two-run single to open the scoring in Tuesday’s win.
UP NEXT
Kansas City will send RHP Brady Singer (4-2, 2.70 ERA) to the mound for the series finale. Singer allowed just one earned run in each of his last two starts. Minnesota counters with RHP Chris Paddack (4-2, 4.39), who earned no-decisions in his previous two outings.
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