Dozier, Gordon lead Royals past Twins
Hunter Dozier had two extra-base hits, including a three-run home run, and Alex Gordon had two run-scoring doubles as the Kansas City Royals defeated the visiting Minnesota Twins 6-1 on "Salute to the Negro Leagues Day" Sunday afternoon.
The Twins wore the uniforms of the 1908 St. Paul Gophers, while the Royals sported the togs of the 1942 Kansas City Monarchs.
Gordon has at least one RBI in five straight games.
Homer Bailey (7-6) picked up the win for Kansas City. He allowed just one run on five hits in 5 1/3 innings. He threw 108 pitches, one outing after a season-high 121 pitches against Seattle. His final batter was Eddie Rosario, who struck out after a 14-pitch at-bat.
Kevin McCarthy pitched the final 2 1/3 innings for his first career save.
Michael Pineda (4-4) absorbed the loss. Other than one five-run inning, he allowed only three hits. But his pitching line showed five runs and eight hits in five innings.
Luis Arraez had four of the Twins' nine hits. It was his first career four-hit game. Jorge Polanco had two hits to extend his streak of reaching base to 36 games, tied for the fifth longest in Twins history.
The Royals got on the board in the third inning with five runs. They started the inning using small ball before Dozier's three-run home run gave them a comfortable cushion.
Billy Hamilton started the rally with a one-out single. He moved to third on a perfectly executed hit-and-run by Whit Merrifield. Nicky Lopez bunted for an RBI hit, and then the offense stepped up a notch. Gordon doubled down the right field line before Dozier's 409-foot blast to the Minnesota bullpen. Dozier's 12th home run of the season established a career high.
The Twins answered in the top of the fourth on Rosario's 20th home run that snuck just inside the foul pole in right. That snapped Bailey's scoreless-inning streak at 16 2/3 innings.
Gordon's RBI double in the seventh made the score 6-1.
--Field Level Media
