MINNEAPOLIS – Josh Rojas’ day began with an afternoon game in Columbus, Ohio, batting leadoff and playing third base with Triple-A Omaha. It ended as the big league hero in Minneapolis, knocking in the game-winning runs of the Royals’ 8-6 win over the Twins at Target Field on Thursday night. “It was an adventurous day, for sure,” Rojas said. “But, I mean, I wouldn’t change it.” Omaha’s game against the Columbus Clippers (Guardians) began at 11:05 p.m CT on Thursday, and Rojas logged three at-bats, including a double, before he was pulled in the fifth inning. The Royals had an open roster spot with pitcher Stephen Kolek being placed on family medical emergency leave, and Rojas’ versatility offers them protection around the infield, especially with third baseman Maikel Garcia still nursing a hamstring strain. Rojas had been with the team on the taxi squad earlier this week in Cincinnati in case Garcia needed to go on the injured list, but he was back in Triple-A on Tuesday. On Thursday afternoon, Rojas was officially added to the roster. The challenge for Rojas was to see how quickly he could make the 6:40 p.m. CT game in Minneapolis. The Royals first put Rojas on a flight out of Columbus in the middle of the afternoon, but it was such a quick turnaround from when he was pulled from the game to when that flight took off that he didn’t make it. The flight he did make left at 8 p.m. CT, which meant Rojas was waiting at the airport for about four hours. He took a nap on the flight. By the time he was landing, he was starting to follow along with the game. He texted a buddy that he might actually get in somehow. “I can’t imagine having a travel day like that,” said Michael Massey, who homered in the fourth inning. “And then having to come in and face a leverage reliever.” “I think I would have been a little more stressed \[getting here\
