Game Score: Royals 4, Twins 3 / Box Score
WP: Hudson (7–5), LP: Bonser (3–5), SV: Nelson (4)
Royal Home Runs: None
Royals Record: 49-85
For the third time in four games, a Royals’ starter has done what he is is supposed to do. Keep the Royals in the game, eat up innings, and even shut down the opposition once in a while. Tonight, Luke Hudson pitched seven strong innings. He gave up two earned runs, five hits, one walk, and a home run (a two-run shot by Michael Cuddyer in the third inning). Afterward, he said he didn’t have his best stuff, but he kept battling. Gobble pitched a perfect eighth inning, and Nelson gave up a solo home run (to Cuddyer again) in the bottom of the ninth, but he shook it off and closed the door on the Twins.
Boof Bonser had great stuff—striking out eight Royals in 5.1, but the Royals finally broke through in the sixth inning. David DeJesus singled to lead off the inning. Mark Grudzielanek hit a ground-rule double. After Mark Teahen struck out, Mike Sweeney singled—driving in DeJesus and Grudzielanek. Emil Brown knocked Bonser from the game with a single. Jesse Crain entered the game and Ryan Shealy greeted him with a single to left that scored Mike Sweeney. The Royals scored an insurance run in the top of the ninth when Andes Blanco singled in Ryan Shealy. Good thing they scored the extra run.
So, the Royals go for the sweep in Minnesota tomorrow afternoon. They've already won the series—the first time the Royals have won a series in Minnesota since August 2000. The Royals will send Jorge De La Rosa (1–1, 7.48) against Johan Santana (9–3, 3.86). De La Rosa is 0–1 with a 11.57 ERA against the Twins in his career. Santana is 9–3 with a 3.86 ERA against the Royals.
The Royals have had Santana on the ropes the last two times they faced him. First, on July 3 in Kansas City, they scored five runs (four earned) on six hits, but the Twins erupted for three runs in the eighth inning to take it away from us. Then, on August 4 in Kansas City, the Royals scored four earned runs on four hits in six innings off of Santana, but Burgos gave up two runs in the ninth to blow the save (what’s new?) and Dohmann gave up three runs in the tenth, and the Twins took another one away from us.
Hopefully tomorrow is a different story.
Technorati Tags: Luke Hudson, KC Royals, Royals, Mike Sweeney, Minnesota Twins, Boof Bonser, David DeJesus, Mark Grudzielanek, Ryan Shealy, Andres Blanco, Jimmy Gobble, Johan Santana, Joe Nelson
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