KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Interstat) — On a afternoon where the long ball reigned supreme in a reconfigured ballpark, the Kansas City Royals rode timely power from unexpected sources to a 3-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins in their home opener Monday at Kauffman Stadium.

In the first regular-season game since the Royals moved the fences in 8 to 10 feet, all four runs scored via the home run. The new dimensions, however, were not a factor, as each of the three blasts would have cleared the previous walls.

A sellout crowd of 39,320 witnessed the evening contest, which lasted 2 hours and 14 minutes on an unseasonably warm afternoon with a first-pitch temperature of 85 degrees.

The victory evened the Royals’ early season record at 2-2, while the Twins fell to 1-3.

The game’s pivotal sequence unfolded in the second inning. Minnesota struck first when Matt Wallner led off the top of the frame by driving a Kris Bubic offering over the wall in right-center field for a solo home run, giving the Twins a 1-0 lead.

That advantage was short-lived. In the bottom half against Twins starter Simeon Woods Richardson, Jonathan India singled with one out. After two flyouts, Kansas City center fielder Kyle Isbel stepped in. Not known for his power, Isbel connected on a two-run shot to right field, flipping the score to 2-1 and energizing the home crowd.

The duel of solo homers continued in the seventh inning, providing Kansas City with a critical insurance run. With one out, Isaac Collins, another hitter more recognized for his on-base skills, launched a drive to left field off Twins reliever Kody Funderburk to extend the Royals’ lead to 3-1.

From there, the Kansas City bullpen sealed the deal. Nick Mears worked a scoreless eighth, and John Schreiber navigated the ninth for his first save of the season, despite allowing a two-out single to Ryan Jeffers. He induced a game-ending groundout from Wallner.

The most important part of the game was Isbel’s two-run homer in the second inning. It immediately answered Minnesota’s opening salvo, wresting momentum away from the Twins and handing a lead to Bubic, who grew stronger as the game progressed. The swing transformed the atmosphere in the ballpark and set a tone of resilience for the Royals.

Bubic earned the win, delivering a quality start. He allowed one run on just two hits over six innings, walking three and striking out four. He efficiently managed the Twins’ lineup after the Wallner homer, facing minimal threats.

Woods Richardson took the loss for Minnesota. He lasted five innings, surrendering two runs on five hits with two strikeouts. The right-hander was hurt primarily by the one pitch to Isbel.

Offensively, the Twins mustered only four hits, with Wallner’s homer accounting for their lone run. Kansas City collected seven hits, with Isbel leading the way by going 2-for-3 with the home run, two RBIs and a run scored. Maikel Garcia added a double and a single for the Royals.

The game defied several pregame projections. Interstat’s game simulator had projected a 5-3 Royals victory, and its ELO system gave Kansas City a 60.9% probability to win. While the Royals covered the -1.5 spread as favorites, the total score of 4 runs fell well under the over/under line of 9, highlighting the pitchers’ dominance.

Defensively, Kansas City turned two double plays, including a sharp line-drive double play started by shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. in the fifth inning to erase a Garcia double. Minnesota also turned a double play.

The Twins continue their road trip with the second game of this series against the Royals on Wednesday. Kansas City will look to build on its home-opening momentum in that contest before welcoming the Milwaukee Brewers for a weekend series.