Minnesota Twins vs Kansas City Royals Box Score on Sep 09, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Sep 9, 2017

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Eric Hosmer and Lorenzo Cain each had three hits as the Kansas City Royals defeated the Minnesota Twins 5-2 Saturday night.

The Royals broke open a tie game with three runs in the eighth.

Cain led off the eighth with a single and Terrance Gore ran for him. After Melky Cabrera walked, Hosmer's single to center brought Gore home. Salvador Perez's double to left scored Cabrera.

Alcides Escobar's sacrifice fly to center scored Hosmer with the final run of the eighth inning.

The Twins used five relievers in the eighth, three of whiom threw only one pitch. Ryan Pressly (2-3) took the loss.

Alex Gordon, who last homered on July 3, hit a solo shot out the opposite way in the Kansas City seventh to tie the score 2-2. Gordon belted an 0-1 Jose Berrios pitch over the left-field fence.

The Twins had forged ahead 2-1 in the sixth on a Byron Buxton home run, his 14th.

Twins starter Jose Berrios gave up two runs on eight hits over seven innings in a no-decision.

Royals rookie Jake Junis allowed two runs on eight hits, including two home runs, in 6 1/3 innings.

Mike Minor (6-6) picked up the victory after Junis exited. Brandon Maurer logged the save.

Kansas City took a 1-0 lead in the first inning.

Cain tripled with one out in the bottom of the first and scored on Cabrera's ground out to shortstop Jorge Polanco.

The Royals bungled a chance to enlarge their lead in the second when they loaded the bases with one out.

Mike Moustakas led off with a single and stopped at third on Escobar's double down the left-field line. Gordon fell behind in the count 0-2 before drawing a walk.

Berrios wiggled out of that jam when Whit Merrifield rolled into a double play on a full-count pitch.

The Twins tied it in the third. Eduardo Escobar led off the inning with a home run to right after Junis retired the first six batters. It was Escobar's 17th home run and sixth off Kansas City pitchers this season.

In the fourth, Eddie Rosario singled with one out and stole second.

The Royals, however, challenged the call and after a 59-second review it was reversed. That turned out to be a costly overturn for the Twins as Byron Buxton, who snapped a 0-for-21 funk, and Max Kepler singled.

Eduardo Escobar walked to load the bases before Jason Castro flied out to left.

Cain and Hosmer singled in the fourth, but the Royals came away with nothing.

NOTES: Royals LHP Danny Duffy is scheduled to throw a simulated game Monday. If he has no setbacks, he could start at Cleveland next weekend. Duffy has missed 14 games with a sore left elbow. ... Twins rookie LHP Adalberto Mejia made a rehab start for Double-A Chattanooga and pitched five shutout innings against Montgomery in the Southern League playoffs. He allowed one single and threw 73 pitches. ... Royals RHP Joakim Soria will in all likelihood be activated Monday. He went on the disabled list retroactive to Aug. 16 with a pulled left oblique. ... Twins RHP Bartolo Colon and Royals LHP Jason Vargas are the probables for the series finale Sunday.