And they were in a playful mood on Thursday night, even before the Royals beat the Twins 8-1 at Kauffman Stadium. Five days earlier, Gee had allowed five runs and 11 hits, including three homers, in a 5-3 victory for the Twins at Target Field.
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Brian Dozier led off the game with his 27th home run, belting a 2-1 Gee pitch 397 feet and over the left-center wall. And the guys did awesome scoring runs and “Gordo” hit the grand slam.
The Orioles’ Kevin Gausman (4-10) allowed five runs (four earned) and seven hits with eight strikeouts over 6 2/3 innings to pick up the win.
The Royals added three runs in the eighth inning, all charged to left-hander Pat Dean, though suspect defense by the Twins led to at least two of the scores.
Yost and first base coach Rusty Kuntz debated the call, but the strongest words came from the dugout and hitting coach Dale Sveum, who was ejected for the 15th time in his career and his second this year. The Royals are 9-21 is games started by the fifth starter.
After Cheslor Cuthbert’s single with one out in the third, Duffey walked three and hit a batter with Gordon’s third career grand slam punctuating the inning.
Gee (5-6) gave up one run on five hits while matching a career high with seven strikeouts and claiming his first victory as a starter since May 31. Paulo Orlando put down a bunt, and catcher Kurt Suzuki’s throw to first was off the mark, allowing Orlando to take second base.
DETROIT – Andrew Romine walked with the bases loaded and two out in the eighth inning to force home the winning run in Detroit’s victory over Boston.
Gordon, who was hitting.199 with 16 RBIs on August 9th, extended his hitting streak to a season-best nine games.
“I was probably trying to do too much, trying to get out of a slump, which it’s hard not to do”, Gordon said. “(But) he’s a young guy, so he’s still a little bit vulnerable to the blowup inning”.
The Royals batted around in the fourth, which Duffey failed to finish.
“I think I tried to adjust by being better, and ultimately being worse”, Duffey said. “I felt really good the first three, obviously”. Now he is the hottest hitter on the American League’s hottest team. 1B/DH Joe Mauer (tight quadriceps) and 3B Miguel Sano (sore right elbow) were back in the Twins’ lineup. Game two of the four-game series is tonight in Missouri.
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Royals: RHP Edinson Volquez is 2-0 with a 2.95 ERA in three 2016 starts against the Twins. Jose Berrios gets the nod, and he’s 2-3 with a 9.32 ERA and 30 strikeouts this season.
