Maikel Garcia’s Homer, Michael Wacha’s Strong Start Lift Royals Over Twins 2-1 on September 5, 2025

Friday, September 5th, 2025

Kansas City Royals Defeat Minnesota Twins 2-1 with Key Home Run

The Kansas City Royals secured a narrow 2-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins, thanks to a two-run homer from Maikel Garcia and a strong performance on the mound by Michael Wacha. This exciting MLB matchup took place on September 5, 2025, at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City.

Garcia Delivers Game-Changing Home Run

In the third inning, Maikel Garcia hit Pablo López's first pitch deep over the left-field bullpen for a two-run home run. This came right after Vinnie Pasquantino singled with two outs, providing the Royals with a 2-0 lead. Both Pasquantino and Garcia contributed with two hits each.

Twins' Offense Falls Short

The Minnesota Twins managed to get on the board in the fifth inning when Brooks Lee and Jhonny Pereda hit back-to-back doubles. Pereda, making his Twins debut as catcher, drove in the team’s only run. Despite this momentum, the Twins have now lost five consecutive games and hold the league's worst record since the July 31 trade deadline, going 11-22.

Pitching Dominance and Defensive Highlights

Michael Wacha improved his record to 9-11 after allowing just one run on four hits and two walks over 5 2/3 innings, striking out five. Notably, Wacha has held the Twins to fewer than three runs in nine of his ten career starts against them. Royals closer Carlos Estévez notched his major league-leading 38th save of the season, aided by a crucial sliding catch from center fielder Kyle Isbel in the late innings.

Notable Performances and Injury Updates

Twins starter Pablo López returned to action for the first time in three months after a right shoulder strain. He allowed two runs on six hits across six innings and struck out four. On the Royals' side, Bobby Witt Jr. exited the game after six innings due to low back spasms.

Key Moment

A pivotal call in the middle innings saw Maikel Garcia initially ruled out on a force play at second. The Royals challenged the call, and after review, Garcia was declared safe as shortstop Brooks Lee dropped the ball before touching the bag.

Key Stat

During the first seven games of their ongoing homestand, the Royals have struggled with runners in scoring position, going just 2 for 26. Remarkably, 10 of their 14 runs in that span have come via home runs.

Up Next

The series continues with Twins right-hander Joe Ryan (13-7, 3.08 ERA) set to face Royals right-hander Stephen Kolek (4-5, 3.99 ERA) on Saturday.

In summary

The Kansas City Royals edged out the Minnesota Twins 2-1 behind Maikel Garcia's pivotal home run and Michael Wacha's strong pitching, extending the Twins' losing streak. With key defensive plays, notable pitching performances, and injury updates shaping the game, both teams look ahead to the next matchup in this AL Central series.

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