Recap: Minnesota vs. Kansas City
Sports Network | September 26, 2008
Minneapolis, MN (Sports Network) - Kyle Davies hurled six solid innings, and Billy Butler and Mike Aviles both homered as Kansas City stunned Minnesota, 8-1, in the opener of a three-game at the Metrodome.
With the loss, the Twins fell into a first-place tie with Chicago atop the AL Central. The White Sox are currently hosting Cleveland.
Davies (9-7) allowed just one run on four hits while walking two and fanning eight for the Royals, who have won four straight and 12 of their last 14 contests. Leo Nunez, Jimmy Gobble and Yasuhiko Yabuta finished the game with an inning of scoreless relief apiece.
Butler finished 3-for-5 for Kansas City, which banged out 16 hits.
Alexi Casilla had the only RBI for the Twins, who were coming off a three- game sweep of the White Sox.
Francisco Liriano (6-4), who had won six straight decisions, struggled mightily on the mound, allowing six runs on 11 hits in just 4 1/3 innings. Coming into the game, the 24-year-old lefty was 6-0 with a 2.05 ERA in 10 starts since returning from the minors in early August.
The Royals jumped in front with a big four-run third. Aviles led off with a double, advanced to third on an Alberto Callaspo single and crossed the plate on Jose Guillen's single. After Guillen advanced to second on a wild pitch, Ryan Shealy slapped a two-run single up the middle. Alex Gordon finally capped the frame with a two-out, RBI double.
Kansas City kept pulling away with two more runs in the fifth. Mark Teahen got on with a one-out double and Butler followed by chasing Liriano with his 11th homer of the year over the wall in center to make it a 6-0 game.
Aviles' solo shot, his 10th of the year, extended the Royals lead to 7-0 in the sixth.
The Twins finally got to Davies in the bottom of the sixth when Denard Span led off with a triple and Casilla followed with an RBI grounder.
Kansas got that run right back in the seventh when Butler got on with a one- out single, advanced into scoring position when Gordon walked and crossed the plate on a Miguel Olivo single.
Despite the loss, Minnesota is 52-27 at the Metrodome and 11-5 versus the Royals so far this year...Chicago hosts Cleveland for two more games this weekend and still has a makeup contest with Detroit left to play. If necessary, that game will be held Monday at U.S. Cellular Field.
