Recap: Minnesota vs. Kansas City
Sports Network | September 11, 2008
Minneapolis, MN (Sports Network) - David DeJesus' run-scoring single in the top of the 10th inning proved to be the game-winner as the Royals avoided a three-game sweep to the playoff-contending Minnesota Twins with a 3-2 victory.
In KC's final at-bat, Mark Teahen and Alberto Callaspo poked consecutive one- out singles off Matt Guerrier to put runners at the corners for DeJesus, who lined Dennys Reyes' first pitch into right field to score Teahen.
Joakim Soria threw a 1-2-3 home half to close out his 36th save of the year.
Ramon Ramirez (3-2) picked up the win with a scoreless inning of relief behind starter Brandon Duckworth, who allowed two runs on seven hits with two walks and five strikeouts in five-plus innings of work.
Jose Guillen finished with two hits, a double and an RBI as the Royals halted a three-game skid.
Minnesota's Francisco Liriano was solid for eight innings of a no-decision, allowing two runs on six hits without walking a batter and fanning six. Guerrier (6-8) was saddled with the loss, while Justin Morneau was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI in defeat.
The Twins, losers in three of their last five, now stand 1 1/2 games behind the AL Central-leading Chicago White Sox, who host Toronto Thursday night.
Denard Span helped the Twins get on the board in the home first, working a leadoff walk, stealing second, moving up another 90 feet on a groundout and scoring on Morneau's two-bagger to the right-field wall.
A pair of doubles, the latter from Esteban German, scored KC's first run in the second. Carlos Gomez singled in a Twins run in the bottom half, and Guillen's run-scoring double in the third tied the game, 2-2.
Liriano then retired 17 of the next 18 batters he faced, but the Twins couldn't muster a rally off Duckworth and the Royals bullpen, finishing the game 2-for-13 with runners in scoring position.
Minnesota still leads the season series, 11-4...On Friday, the Twins open a 10-game road trip in Baltimore, and Kansas City goes to Cleveland for a four- game set....Liriano is unbeaten in eight starts since being recalled from Triple-A...Ron Mahay and John Bale combined to throw three shutout innings of relief for the Royals.
