Royals beat Twins to earn first series sweep of 2023

Behind Ryan Yarbrough's seven solid innings, the Kansas City Royals beat the visiting Minnesota Twins 2-1 on Sunday afternoon, completing their first series sweep of the season.

Featuring an effective curveball, Yarbrough (4-5) pitched efficiently. He needed just 78 pitches to complete seven innings, allowing a run on seven hits with five strikeouts and no walks. It was Yarbrough's longest outing in over two years.

Freddy Fermin got the Royals out in front with two outs in the second inning, hitting Kenta Maeda's splitter 420 feet to left center to extend his hitting streak to six games.

Matt Wallner answered with one out in the third, smashing Yarbrough's curveball 445 feet above the right field bullpen for a 1-all tie.

Kansas City retook the lead on Maikel Garcia's RBI double in the third. It scored Nicky Lopez, who was making his first career start at first base.

Maeda (2-6) exited after five innings, allowing two runs on four hits and two walks with seven strikeouts.

Royals reliever Dylan Coleman struck out two in a hitless eighth before Carlos Hernandez worked around a four-pitch walk, striking out two in the ninth to earn his first career save.

In winning three straight games for the first time all season, the Royals completed their first series sweep since taking all three from the Twins Sept. 20-22 last year.

Kansas City hit .357 (10-for-28) with runners in scoring position during the series.

The Twins' five-game losing streak matches their longest of the year.

Despite three scoreless innings Sunday, the Twins bullpen has posted a 9.68 ERA during the losing streak.

Willi Castro had two of Minnesota's seven hits. Twins hitters struck out nine times.

Despite suffering their fourth sweep of the season, Minnesota took the season series from Kansas City, winning nine of 13 games.