Arguably the most exciting moment of the game for the Minnesota Twins came while the game wasn't even in play.

Twins manager Rocco Baldelli was ejected during the sixth inning after starter Simeon Woods Richardson was called for a pitch-clock violation, and Baldelli stormed out of the dugout to confront home-plate umpire Nic Lentz. But there weren't many other fireworks as the Twins fell 4-2 to the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., on Monday.

Woods Richardson appeared to signal that he couldn't hear the PitchCom, but his disengagement wasn't granted by Lentz. That kept the clock rolling, ultimately resulting in a pitch-clock violation for ball four and a walk of Jonathan India.

Baldelli was tossed after arguing the call with Lentz, and that's also when Woods Richardson's day came to an end after 107 pitches. Woods Richardson walked four and gave up eight hits and four runs while fanning six across 5 2/3 innings.

The Twins (3-7) never led, though they quickly tied the game after the Royals (5-5) struck first in the opening frame on Vinnie Pasquantino's RBI double. Willi Castro cracked an RBI double of his own in the second to knot the game at 1-1.

The Twins offense mostly went dark from there, and Kansas City was able to pull ahead for good in the third inning when Kyle Isbel drove in a run with an infield single and Bobby Witt Jr. brought home another grounding into a fielder's choice.

Matt Wallner hit a single, a double and drew a walk in his next three at-bats, but that was three of just four times a Minnesota player reached base from the third inning until the ninth when the Twins made a bit of noise. Ty France was hit by a pitch, Jose Miranda drew a two-out walk and Harrison Bader hit an RBI single to cut it to 4-2 and provide a little hope.

But Edouard Julien grounded out to second base the next at-bat for the final out of the inning.

Royals starter Michael Lorenzen went six innings, allowing just five hits and one run while fanning three in a winning effort.

Isbel hit a 401-foot solo homer before the sixth-inning fireworks to plate the other Royals run.

Scott Blewett, whose contract was selected earlier Monday when Darren McCaughan was designated for release or assignment, pitched 2 1/3 shutout innings, though he got quite a bit of help from Bader, who made back-to-back diving catches in left field to prevent further damage from the Royals. Blewett gave up one hit and struck out a pair.

The Twins and Royals meet for the second of their four-game series at 6:40 p.m. CT on Tuesday.