The first four hitters who came to the plate came around to score as the Kansas City Royals beat the Twins 4-2, Tuesday night in Kansas City.
The Royals win snapped a season-long four-game losing streak.
The game was really decided in the first inning, when the Royals started with hits from Ben Zobrist and Alex Gordon. Lorenzo Cain then walked to load the bases and Eric Hosmer followed with a bases-clearing double to put Kansas City up 3-0.
Kendrys Morales followed with a double of his own and the Royals took a 4-0 lead.
Twins starter Kyle Gibson (9-10) was nearly pulled without recording an out in the first inning. But he settled down, working through eight innings and quieting the Royals the rest of the way. He gave up just six hits and struck out four on the night.
That's a heck of a performance from starter Kyle Gibson. No idea why the first inning was no good, but he shut it down after that.
— Derek Wetmore (@DerekWetmore) September 9, 2015
The Twins made an effort to get back into the game. Byron Buxton led off the top of the third with an infield hit and stole second. He came around to score on a single by Brian Dozier. Joe Mauer then drove in Dozier with a double and the Twins had cut the Royals lead in half.
Edinson Volquez (13-7) shut it off after that. He held the Twins to two runs on six hits, while striking out three in seven innings to pick up the victory.
Wade Davis pitched a scoreless eighth and Greg Holland a perfect ninth for his 30th save.
Aaron Hicks and Mauer were the only two Twins players with more than one hit. Each was 2-for-4 in the game.
The Twins and Royals wrap up the series on Wednesday as they send Mike Pelfrey (6-9) to the mound against Kansas City’s Kris Medlen (3-1).
