Twins sweep Royals

1. THE TWINS defeated the Royals today 5-to-3 for their third straight win, and their first 3-0 start to a season since 2007 (started 3-0)…this is the 11th time the Twins have started 3-0 in their history (since 1961)…the Twins best start to a season was six straight wins in 1968…thru three games the Twins have walked 23 times with 10 of them coming around to score…the Twins drew 23 walks in the three game series vs. the Royals, the most walks in a three-game series by the Twins since walking 23 times in April 2014 against Toronto.

2. KYLE GIBSON allowed three runs on five hits, two home runs, and two walks while striking out five in 5.0 innings…sixth time since start of 2016 to allow multiple home runs in a start…in 12 career starts against the Royals is now 5-4, 3.70 ERA (75.1 IP, 31 ER) with five home runs allowed and 25 walks while striking out 56…has five straight starts without a win vs. the Royals.

3. BULLPEN NOTES: The Twins bullpen has pitched 10.0 scoreless innings with two walks, five hits and 11 strikeouts in three games.

JASON CASTRO (1-for-3) drove in the go-ahead run with an RBI double in the seventh inning, scoring Sano…Castro has reached nine times in his 12 plate appearances this season.

1. JORGE POLANCO (2-for-3) hit an RBI single in the second inning and an RBI double in the seventh…has an RBI in both of his games this season…has reached base in six of his nine plate appearances so far this season (4 hits, 2 walks).

2. MIGUEL SANO (2-for-3) has a hit in each of the Twins first three games this season…dating back to 2016, Sano has hit in four straight games…scored the go-ahead run in the seventh inning off a Castro double.

3. MAX KEPLER (2-for-4) has a hit in each of his first three games this season…dating back to 2016, has hit in four straight games…drove in his first RBI of the season with a double in the fifth inning to put the Twins up 3-2.