Minnesota’s late Rally beats Yordano Ventura

The Kansas City Royals lost 4-1 to the Minnesota Twins on Saturday night, breaking KC’s 3-game winning streak. The Twins rallied in the 7th to put up 3 runs against Yordano Ventura to overcome a 1-0 deficit. The Twins added a run against Aaron Crow in the 8th to make the score 4-1.

Manager Ned Yost asked Ventura to pitch the 7th inning despite starting the frame with 98 pitches, because Yost wanted to get both Wade Davis and closer Greg Holland some much-needed rest. Unfortunately, Ventura was not able to come through, aided by C Salvador Perez‘s inability to tag Kurt Suzuki at the plate on Danny Santana‘s sharp grounder to first.

The play tied the game at 1-all, and Brian Dozier broke the tie the next at bat with a double.

The loss drops Kansas City to 12 games over .500 at 67-65. The Royals allowed the Tigers back to a slim .5 margin after Detroit defeated the Mariners 4-2. The Royals still hold a 1 game lead over Seattle in the wild card race.

On the Mound

Yordano Ventura shut out the Twins on 1 hit through 6 innings before he imploded in the 7th. Overall, Ventura lasted 6.2 innings, giving up 4 hits, 6 walks, and 3 earned runs with 4 stikeouts. Ventura was charged with the loss, evening his record at 9-9 on the season.

Francisley Bueno notched the final out of the 7th.

Aaron Crow allowed the Twin’s 4th run in the 8th, allowing 2 hits, including Kurt Suzuki’s solo home run, with 1 strikeout.

At the Plate

The Royals scratched out a run in the 4th inning on Nori Aoki‘s leadoff double. After Omar Infante struck out, Aoki stole 3rd and scored on Twins’ catcher Kurt Suzuki’s wild throw.

Aoki finished the game 2 for 4 with a single, double, and 1 run scored along with his 14th stolen base.

Aoki’s double was the Royals only extra base hit of the night out of 8 hits. Both Alex Gordon and Raul Ibanez had 2-hit games, with Gordon going 2 for 4 and Ibanez going 2 for 3.

This and That

Ventura’s 6 walks were a season-high, although none of them scored.

The Royals lost for only the 2nd time in Ventura’s last 9 starts.

Royals manager Ned Yost came into the game hoping to rest setup man Wade Davis and closer Greg Holland because they had seen hard use during Kansas City’s string of 11 wins in 12 games.

KC Kingdom Player of the Game

Our nod goes to Nori Aoki for his solid 2 for 4 performance and his aggressive baserunning that put the Royals up 1-0 in the 4th inning.

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• Josh Willingham
• Billy Butler – 8
• Jason Frasor
• Francisley Bueno
• Danny Valencia
• Christian Colon
• Raul Ibanez
• Jarrod Dyson – 2
• Lorenzo Cain – 6
• Johnny Giavotella
• Wade Davis
• Norichika Aoki  – 6
• Salvador Perez – 6
• Jeremy Guthrie  – 3
• Jason Vargas – 7
• Alex Gordon – 11
• Bruce Chen   – 5
• James Shields – 10
• Yordano Ventura – 5
• Danny Duffy – 7
• Omar Infante – 4
• Mike Moustakas – 9
• Alcides Escobar – 6
• Eric Hosmer – 12
• Michael Mariot

The Twins

C Kurt Suzuki made up for his wild throw in the 4th inning with a key slide in the 7th inning that tied the game at 1-1, and his solo home run in the 8th (3). Suzuki also helped Phil Hughes pitch 7.1 innings while holding KC to 1 run.

Up Next

The Twins and Royals play the 3rd game of their 4-game set on Sunday. The Royals will send Jeremy Guthrie (8-10, 4.45 ERA) to the mound against trade-acquisition Tommy Milone (6-3, 3.52 ERA) for Minnesota. Game time is 1:10 PM CST at Target Field in Minneapolis.

Box

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table.

2B: N Aoki (16, off P Hughes).
HBP: A Escobar (5, by P Hughes).
TB: N Aoki 3; R Ibanez 2; A Gordon 2; B Butler; O Infante.
GIDP: M Moustakas (7).
Team LOB: 7.
With RISP: 0 for 6.
Fielding
DP: 1. O Infante-A Escobar-B Butler.
E: A Escobar (12).
Baserunning
SB: N Aoki (14, 3rd base off P Hughes/K Suzuki).

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table.

2B: B Dozier (25, off Y Ventura).
HR: K Suzuki (3, off A Crow, 8th inn, 0 on, 1 out to Deep LF).
SF: K Vargas (1, off Y Ventura).
SH: J Schafer (6, off Y Ventura).
IBB: J Mauer (7, by Y Ventura).
TB: K Suzuki 5; B Dozier 2; J Schafer 2; C Parmelee.
GIDP: C Parmelee (5).
RBI: B Dozier (53); D Santana (28); K Suzuki (49); K Vargas (12).
Team LOB: 9.
With RISP: 1 for 9.
Fielding
DP: 1. P Hughes-D Santana-J Mauer.
E: K Suzuki (4).

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table.

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table.

Balks: Y Ventura (1).
WP: None.
HBP: P Hughes (3; A Escobar).
IBB: Y Ventura (1; J Mauer).
Pickoffs: None