Twins clobber Royals 13-3 to win crisp debut by fast-rising starting pitcher Zebby Matthews

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Zebby Matthews threw five crisp innings to win his major league debut for the Minnesota Twins, who hit Seth Lugo hard to hand the All-Star right-hander his worst start of the season and beat the Kansas City Royals 13-3 on Tuesday night.

Matthews (1-0) allowed two runs on five hits with no walks and five strikeouts, the latest and most meaningful feat for the 24-year-old right-hander who started the season in Class A. His first strikeout? None other than All-Star Bobby Witt Jr.

“The first strikeout definitely helped calm the nerves,” Matthews said.

Matt Wallner (three runs, two hits) and Jose Miranda (three hits, two RBIs) led the barrage against Lugo (13-7), and Max Kepler (three-run) and Kyle Farmer (two-run) hit homers off the bullpen. Christian Vázquez also homered for the Twins, who had eight of their 15 hits for extra bases in a rousing show of support for the rookie.

“You can go out there and you can attack the zone, just throw your best stuff, try to get guys out,” Matthews said. "It definitely helps a lot.”

Minnesota kept pace with AL Central leader Cleveland, still trailing by 3½ games. Kansas City fell six games back. The Twins (67-52) and Royals (65-55) control the second and third wild-card spots.

The first four batters reached against Lugo, the major league wins leader who endured by far the shortest of his 25 starts this year. Already trailing 5-2, he gave up three hits and a walk to start the fifth before being pulled. Lugo had logged at least six innings in all but four of his turns until this.

Lugo was charged with nine hits, a career-high-tying eight runs, two walks with four strikeouts. One run was unearned due to a throwing error on third baseman Maikel Garcia that put Miranda on and gave the Twins a fourth consecutive batter to reach base to start their first inning.

“This is a great lineup we have. Everybody puts in a great at-bat,” Vázquez said.

Wallner started the game with a leaping catch against the left field wall to steal a home run from Michael Massey, and Matthews didn't need much help after that.

The eighth-round 2022 draft pick out of Western Carolina induced a steady stream of routine groundballs and showed off his stellar control, dodging a solo home run by M.J. Melendez in the second and an RBI double by Massey in the fifth. In 102 combined innings over four levels this season, Matthews has just seven walks and 119 strikeouts.

“He’s got pretty good stuff. I think he’s going to be a pretty good pitcher in the big leagues,” said Royals catcher Salvador Perez, who hit his 22nd homer in the sixth.

The Twins just might wind up keeping Matthews in their rookie-laden rotation, with Joe Ryan and Chris Paddack sidelined.

“It’s definitely special, but you don’t quit working just because you made it here,” Matthews said. "There’s a lot of stuff to keep doing, keep improving on, so get back to work.”

The Twins have won 18 of their last 20 games against the Royals at Target Field, a stretch of dominance during which they’ve outscored them 123-56. The Twins are 7-2 against the Royals overall this year.

“They’re good,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “They have a deep team. They have guys who can do a lot of different things.”

TRAINER'S ROOM

Twins CF Byron Buxton was held out of the lineup with a discomfort in his right hip that prompted his early removal from the game on Monday, but an MRI test came back clean.

UP NEXT

Royals: LHP Cole Ragans (9-7, 3.27 ERA) will pitch on Wednesday afternoon. The opening day starter is sixth in MLB in strikeouts.

Twins: RHP Louie Varland (0-4, 6.46 ERA) was on track to start the final game of the series. He pitched 4 2/3 innings on Friday in the second half of a doubleheader sweep of Cleveland as the 27th player.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

Minnesota Twins' Max Kepler hits an RBI single against the Kansas City Royals in the fifth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)

Minnesota Twins' Kyle Farmer celebrates with Austin Martin, left, after hitting a two-run home run against the Kansas City Royals in the seventh inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)

Minnesota Twins' Carlos Santana slides into home plate on a sacrifice fly by Christian Vazquez against the Kansas City Royals in the fifth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)

Minnesota Twins' Royce Lewis runs the bases on a two-run home run against the Kansas City Royals in the second inning of a baseball game Monday, Aug. 12, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)

Minnesota Twins' Willi Castro, left, celebrates after his three-run home run against the Kansas City Royals with Royce Lewis (23) in the second inning of a baseball game Monday, Aug. 12, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)

Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Seth Lugo throws to the Minnesota Twins in the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)

Minnesota Twins left fielder Matt Wallner catches a ball hit by Kansas City Royals' Michael Massey at the fence in the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Zebby Matthews throws to the Kansas City Royals in the first inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Cellphone records show that the suspect in the apparent assassination attempt of Donald Trump was near the golf course for about 12 hours before being confronted by a Secret Service agent, according to court documents unsealed Monday.

Officials said in the documents that Ryan Routh’s cellphone was shown near tree line at Trump’s golf course from 1:59 a.m. until 1:31 p.m. on Sunday. A Secret Service agent shot at Routh after seeing his rifle through the tree line. Routh fled in an SUV being being arrested by local law enforcement in a neighboring county.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — A man suspected in an apparent assassination attempt targeting former President Donald Trump was charged Monday with federal gun crimes, making his first court appearance in the final weeks of a White House race already touched by violence.

Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, faces charges of possessing a firearm despite a prior felony conviction and possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number. Additional and more serious charges are possible as the investigation continues and Justice Department prosecutors seek an indictment from a grand jury.

Routh appeared briefly in federal court in West Palm Beach, where he answered perfunctory questions about his work status and income. Shackled and wearing a blue jumpsuit, he smiled as he spoke with a public defender and reviewed documents ahead of the initial appearance. The lawyer declined to comment after the hearing ended.

Routh was arrested Sunday afternoon after authorities spotted a firearm poking out of shrubbery on the West Palm Beach golf course where Trump was playing. Prosecutors asked that he remain locked up as a flight risk. A federal magistrate set additional hearings for later this month.

The authorities did not immediately reveal any new details about Routh or allege a particular motive. But he left an online footprint that reveals shifting political views and intense outrage about world events.

“You are free to assassinate Trump,” Routh wrote of Iran in an apparently self-published 2023 book titled “Ukraine’s Unwinnable War,” which described the former president as a “fool” and “buffoon” for both the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riots and the “tremendous blunder” of leaving the Iran nuclear deal.

Routh wrote that he once voted for Trump and must take part of the blame for the “child that we elected for our next president that ended up being brainless.”

He also tried to recruit fighters for Ukraine to defend itself against Russia, and he had a website seeking to raise money and recruit volunteers to fight for Kyiv.

Court records obtained by The Associated Press show Routh was convicted of multiple felony offenses, including two charges of possessing stolen goods in 2002 in North Carolina.

Speaking in a soft voice in court, he said that he was working and making around $3,000 a month, but has zero savings.

Routh said that he has no real estate or assets, aside from two trucks worth about $1,000, both located in Hawaii. He also said that he has a 25-year-old son, whom he sometimes supports.

Secret Service agents stationed a few holes up from where Trump was playing golf noticed the muzzle of an AK-style rifle sticking through the shrubbery that lines the course, roughly 400 yards away.

An agent fired and Routh dropped the rifle and fled in an SUV, leaving the firearm behind along with two backpacks, an aiming scope and a GoPro camera, authorities said. Routh was later stopped by law enforcement in a neighboring county.

It was the second apparent assassination attempt targeting Trump in as many months.

On July 13, a bullet grazed Trump's ear during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Eight days later, Democratic President Joe Biden withdrew from the race, giving way for Vice President Kamala Harris to become the party’s nominee.

Tucker, Durkin Richer and Long reported from Washington.

Officers with the Palm Beach County Sheriff's office work outside of Trump International Golf Club after the apparent assassination attempt of Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

A vehicle with the Palm Beach County Sheriff's office is parked outside of Trump International Golf Club after the apparent assassination attempt of Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Law enforcement officials work outside of Trump International Golf Club after the apparent assassination attempt of Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

An FBI officer works outside of Trump International Golf Club after the apparent assassination attempt of Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

An FBI officer works outside of Trump International Golf Club after the apparent assassination attempt of Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

The Trump International Golf Club is shown, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

An FBI officer works outside of Trump International Golf Club after the apparent assassination attempt of Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

The Trump International Golf Club is shown after the apparent assassination attempt of Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

The Trump International Golf Club is shown, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)