The Minnesota Twins beat the Kansas City Royals 17-0 on Saturday night at Target Field to even the series heading into Sunday’s rubber game, and it wasn’t all Onelki Garcia’s fault.

He didn’t give Nate Karns thoracic outlet syndrome.

He didn’t impinge Danny Duffy’s elbow or pass out while intoxicated in a Burger King parking lot.

He also didn’t purchase his own plane ticket to Minneapolis after posting a 5.04 ERA at Triple-A Omaha, with a 1.55 WHIP and nearly four walks per nine innings.

But when Garcia took the mound at Target Field, he was in trouble from the word “go.” He threw just 23 pitches, but by the time he was done, the Twins had scored four runs and made just one out.

For an offense that has had trouble hitting lefties all season long, the Twins wasted little time jumping the 28-year-old Cuban, who had made just four previous appearances in the big leagues which had gone much like this one (9.00 ERA, 2.43 WHIP).

Brian Dozier fell behind 0-2 and coaxed a walk to lead off the first. Joe Mauer followed with a booming double to center. Byron Buxton — in his return to the lineup — hit a stand-up triple to the gap in right-center, and just 12 pitches into the game, the Twins had a 2-0 lead and were primed for more. Jorge Polanco followed with a booming double to the other gap, and came home to score on a Mitch Garver single to left one batter later to chase Garcia from the game.

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