(TSX / STATS) — MINNEAPOLIS — Brandon Moss homered twice among three hits to support Jake Junis’ first major league start and the Kansas City Royals powered their way to a 6-4 win over the Minnesota Twins in the first game of Sunday’s doubleheader.
Salvador Perez and Jorge Bonifacio each hit two-run homers for Kansas City. Bonifacio and Moss went back-to-back in the fourth inning, and three blasts came against Minnesota starter Phil Hughes (4-3) as the Royals beat the Twins for the first time in seven games this season.
Reliever Mike Minor (1-1) picked up the win in relief of Junis, who was recalled from Triple-A Omaha to start the first game for Kansas City as reliever Al Albuquerque was designated for assignment.
Junis retired nine of the first 11 batters he faced and was done after 4 2/3 innings. He gave up two runs, five hits and three walks with four strikeouts.
Minor, Peter Moylan, Matt Strahm, Joakim Soria and Kelvin Herrera combined for 4 1/3 innings of relief with four hits allowed. Herrera finished his ninth save in 11 chances despite a walk and hit allowed in the ninth.
Miguel Sano’s two-run double in the seventh brought Minnesota within a run, but Strahm struck out pinch-hitter Eduardo Escobar to strand Sano at third base. The Twins were 4-for-14 with runners in scoring position and left eight runners on the base.
Moss followed with his second homer deep to the second deck in right field leading off the top of the eighth.
Hughes allowed five runs, six hits and two walks in four innings. The right-hander lost his second straight start and has allowed 14 earned runs in 13 2/3 innings during his last three starts.
The teams are playing a traditional doubleheader after Saturday’s matinee game was rained out. The second game will start 30 minutes after the conclusion of Game 1 and will feature Kansas City right-hander Ian Kennedy (0-3, 3.03 ERA) against Minnesota rookie left-hander Adalberto Mejia (0-1, 5.79).
Kennedy will be activated off the 10-day disabled list. He has been out since May 4 with a right hamstring strain. Mejia is being recalled from Triple-A Rochester as the 26th player for the doubleheader.
NOTES: Sunday marked the first traditional doubleheader in Minnesota since May 26, 2001, at the Metrodome. It was Kansas City’s first traditional doubleheader since Sept. 1, 2012, which was at home against the Twins. … The Royals added RHP Miguel Almonte from Double-A Northwest Arkansas as their 26th player for the doubleheader. … Kansas City OF Alex Gordon left the team after the first game to be with his wife, who is giving birth on Monday. Gordon will be on the paternity leave list. The Royals will recall INF Raul Mondesi from Triple-A to take Gordon’s spot on the roster. … Kansas City manager Ned Yost said RHP Nate Karns has some fluid near his pitching elbow and will continue to be evaluated. Karns left Friday’s start after experiencing tightness. … Minnesota still hasn’t announced who will start Monday’s game in Baltimore. Two doubleheaders in the past four days have made an extra starter necessary.
Photo credit – Tom Olmscheid / Associated Press / Minneapolis, MN