Revamped Twins 'pen gets its shot against Royals 

KANSAS CITY – Following a series of reinforcements, the Twins feel better about their bullpen than they have all year. On Thursday night, the upgraded group finally got a chance to protect a lead.

Brooks Lee’s go-ahead two-run single in the eighth inning ended days of offensive frustration, and the Minnesota bullpen made the lead stand up as the Twins snapped a four-game losing streak with a 4-3 win against the Royals in the finale of a three-game series at Kauffman Stadium.

Bailey Ober pitched six effective innings with an unusual line – no walks or strikeouts – but left trailing by two runs because the Twins couldn’t muster much against Kansas City starter Michael Wacha.

But as they did twice against the Royals at home last week, the Twins battled back. Royce Lewis drilled a solo homer off Wacha in the fifth, part of a night of hard contact for the resurgent infielder. Then in the eighth, the visitors rallied.

Josh Bell poked a one-out RBI single to make it 3-2, and two batters later Lee singled through the right side for the lead.

The back end of the Minnesota bullpen took it from there. Andrew Morris pitched a 1-2-3 inning against the dangerous top of the Royals order, and Yoendrys Gomez finished it off for his 14th save.

Morris and Gomez had been the two most reliable relievers even before the Twins added A.J. Minter and Jeff Hoffman at the Deadline, but one of the team’s worries was that they would wear down with heavy use. But with Minter and Hoffman in the fold, both have been used sparingly over the past few days, allowing them to be at their best on a night when the Twins needed a win.