If the Twins are going to secure their second-straight postseason berth, they’re going to need some big innings from a handful of pitchers just starting their major league careers.

Rookie Simeon Woods Richardson has been ensconced in the rotation all season, and David Festa was called up to make his major league debut when Chris Paddack went down with a forearm strain on July 20. With Joe Ryan out because of a Grade 2 shoulder strain, the Twins on Tuesday called up Zebby Matthews, the organization’s second-ranked pitching prospect behind Festa, to make his big league debut against division rival Kansas City on Tuesday.

So far, the kids have been alright.

Matthews worked his way through a potent Royals lineup on Tuesday night, allowing two earned runs on five hits in five innings as the Twins beat Kansas City, 13-3, in front of 25,885 at Target Field. The 6-foot-5, 225-pound right-hander struck out five and didn’t walk a batter.

The rookie got some help from his lineup early, a three-spot in the first after Willi Castro, Royce Lewis and Matt Wallner started the inning with consecutive hits. That kick-started a big day at the plate for the Twins, who punished Royals pitching with 15 hits — three of them home runs.

Max Kepler hit a two-out, three-run home run off of Will Smith in the sixth inning to make it 11-3. Christian Vazquez hit a solo shot to center field off Chris Stratton in the fourth and drove in another run with a sacrifice fly. Kyle Farmer, pinch hitting for Castro in the seventh, hit a two-run homer off Smith.

With the victory, the Twins remained 3½ games behind first-place Cleveland in the Central Division race and moved Minnesota 2½ games ahead of Kansas City for the second AL wild card spot

Jose Miranda drove in a pair with a grounder and single, and tripled and scored in the sixth.

Matthews (1-0) allowed a long solo home run to MJ Melendez in the second inning and an RBI double to Michael Massey in the fifth. The only time he was on the mound without a lead was the first, when he retired the first three batters on two flies to left and a strikeout — to all-star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr.

Lugo (13-7) struggled from the get-got. He left the game in the fourth with the bases loaded and nobody out and was charged with eight runs, seven earned, on nine hits and two walks. Stratton relieved and allowed an infield RBI single to Manny Margot and Vazquez’s sac fly. That made it 8-2.

Salvador Perez hit a long solo home run off Steven Okert in the sixth inning.

Woods Richardson, 23, is 3-3 witn a 3.78 earned-run average in 20 starts this season. Festa, 24, is 2-2 in his first five major league starts. Whether Matthews joins the rotation — with veterans Pablo Lopez and Bailey Ober — remains to be seen, but it was a good start.