Ventura (8-9) struck out nine in seven innings, allowing four hits, one walk and three runs, throwing 105 pitches. “It just has to be effective”.
Advertisement
“It’s unfortunate that (Dozier and Sano) has been the majority of our output it seems as of late”, said Twins manager Paul Molitor.
Morales, who served a one-game suspension on Thursday for entering the field after an ejection during a game last week, singled, walked twice and added a solo home run in the seventh.
Sano went deep for the fifth time in the last seven games and Dozier hit a two-run shot, giving Twins starter Kyle Gibson (4-7) a one-run lead he took into the fifth inning.
“We like the home runs”.
“It’s tough. He hit it into no-man’s land”, Gibson said.
The Royals are 6-1 against the Twins this season, with 12 games left between them. Gee struck out three in two flawless innings for the win. The red-hot Sano has five homers in the last seven games and 20 on the season.
Cuthbert has been one of the sole bright spots in a bad season for the exiting World Series champs. the 23-year old from the Corn Islands in Nicaragua is batting.301 with a.788 OPS, hitting 9 home runs in 80 appearances and 317 plate appearances, making quite a splash in his second major league season. The first baseman who plays nearly all of his games at DH has also fallen quite far according to his batting numbers, hitting just.244 with a.736 OPS this season, way down from his 2015 performance. Lefties are hitting.330 in 188 at-bats against Gibson.
He was challenged just once, putting two on with nobody out in the fifth, but got out of it with an infield popup and pair of strikeouts, then struck out the side in the sixth. But that’s what happens when you put the ball in play. “They made me pay for it”. Gibson was handed the lead in the third inning, but he gave it right back in the fifth.
Kansas City Royals’ Lorenzo Cain smiles as he heads to the dugout after scoring on a double by E …
Back-to-back singles to open the second inning followed by a sacrifice bunt moved two Royals runners into scoring position with one out for Orlando, who ripped a sharp single to right, scoring one. But Gibson struck out Cheslor Cuthbert and a coaxed a pop out from Cain to escape further damage.
NOTES: The start of the game was delayed 50 minutes by rain.
Kansas City will turn to Dillon Gee in game two of the series, three days after he pitched two innings and earned the victory in the Royals’ 14-inning win over the Chicago White Sox.
The Royals are 15-37 in their last 52 road games and 0-4 in Gees last 4 starts. He threw 32 pitches. Ventura is 2-3 with a 3.86 ERA in six career starts against the Twins and has shut down Joe Mauer (1-for-11) while struggling with Dozier (5-for-14).Gibson defeated Tampa Bay in his last outing as he gave up two runs and six hits in five innings. Twins LHP Pat Dean was recalled from Triple-A Rochester. After posting a 5.15 ERA in the first half, Ventura has a 3.26 ERA after the All-Star break. He is 5-7 with a 5.56 ERA in 16 starts for Rochester. This will be Duffey’s second career game against the Royals.
Advertisement
The Kansas City Royals look to stay hot after winning five of their last six games.
