Twins hold off Royals' late push in 4-2 victory

Edouard Julien provided an insurance run in the eighth inning.

Minnesota Twins shortstop Carlos Correa (4) scores against the Kansas City Royals in the first inning at Target Field in Minneapolis on May 28, 2024. / Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

The Twins beat the Kansas City Royals 4-2 in the second of their four-game series Tuesday night at Target Field in downtown Minneapolis. 

The Twins (30-24) held a 3-2 lead from the fifth inning until the eighth inning when they added an insurance run on an RBI double from Edouard Julien. But it wasn't all over from there.

The Royals (34-22) got a double from Salvador Perez and a single from Adam Frazier in the first two at-bats of the ninth inning off Twins closer Jhoan Duran to put runners on first and third.

But the Twins caught Dairon Blanco, who pinch ran for Frazier, attempting to steal second base, and Duran struck out MJ Melendez and got Nick Loftin to ground out to pick up the save. 

The Twins struck first in the first inning when Jose Miranda hit a two-RBI single to center field that scored Carlos Correa, who had doubled earlier in the inning. 

They took a 3-0 lead when Manny Magot hit an RBI double in the fourth inning that scored Christian Vazquez, who doubled the previous at-bat. 

The Royals then got two runs off Twins starter Simeon Woods Richardson in the fifth inning, getting an RBI single from Garrett Hampson and a groundout to short from Kyle Isbel that allowed Hunter Renfroe, who doubled earlier in the inning, to score from third to make it a 3-2 game.

Woods Richardson allowed just the two runs off three hits while fanning four across five innings.

The Twins and Royals meet again at 6:40 p.m. Wednesday back at Target Field.