Alcides Escobar’s Four RBI’s Fuel Royals Win

Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Alcides Escobar hit a pair of 2-run doubles to lead the Kansas City Royals to a 6-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins at Target Field on Monday night.

Along with Escobar’s 4 RBI’s, starter Danny Duffy held the Twins to 4 hits and 1 run while earning his 5th win of the season (5-7). The game marks the 1st game past the halfway point of the 2014 season. We are now officially in the “2nd half”.

The win allowed the Kansas City to go to 4 games over .500 at 43-39, and keep pace at 3.5 games behind Detroit in the American League Central.

On the Mound

Danny Duffy lasted 5.2 innings, allowing only 4 hits, 2 walks, and 1 earned run with 3 strikeouts. The 25-year-old Duffy has finally realized his potential as a mid-rotation starter and has come all the way back from Tommy John surgery.

Aaron Crow got the final out of the 6th inning to get Duffy out of a jam with runners on 2nd and 3rd. Crow got Trevor Plouffe to fly out to center.

Francisely Bueno entered in the 7th and gave up two singles before he recorded his only out.

Kelvin Herrera relieved Bueno and did not allow the two inherited base runners to score as he finished out the 7th. Herrera also pitched a scoreless 8th, allowing 2 hits and piling up 2 strikeouts.

Mike Mariot finished off the 9th, allowing 1 hit, 1 walk and striking out 2.

At the Plate

Five of the Royals 10 hits went for extra bases: 3 doubles, 1 triple, and 1 home run.

Alcides Escobar both opened and finished the scoring with a pair of 2-run doubles. Escobar went 2-4, with 2 doubles, and 4 RBI’s.

Salvador Perez hit a solo home run in the 6th to put the Royals ahead 4-1. The big fly was Perez’s 10th dinger on the year. For the game, Salvy went 2-4, with 2 runs scored, and 1 RBI.

Mike Moustakas had a rare good day at the plate. He went 2-3, with 2 singles, 1 walk, and 2 runs scored.

Jarrod Dyson hit a leadoff triple in the 7th, but was stranded when Lorenzo Cain flied out to shallow right, Eric Hosmer was intentionally walked, and Billy Butler grounded into a double play.

This and That

Kansas City finished out the month of June 16-10, which is a bit disappointing when the team reeled off a 10-game winning streak in the middle of the month.

The Royals signed 42-year-old OF Raul Ibanez to a contract after he got cut by the Angels earlier this season. Ibanez returns to the team that gave him his first chance at a starting job in major-league baseball at the age of 29, which ended up triggering a late-career charge that has yielded a nice career (303 home runs). The Royals also called up former no. 4 overall pick Christian Colon.

To make room for Ibanez and Colon, the Royals designated OF Justin Maxwell and INF Pedro Ciriaco for assignment.

Mike Moustakas made two outstanding defensive plays. He speared Kendrys Morales‘ screaming line drive in the 2nd with a backhanded lunge, and Moose also fielded Kurt Suzuki‘s hard grounder to 3rd with 2 on in the 7th.

KC Kingdom Player of the Game

With all due respect to Danny Duffy, the KC Kingdom Player of the Game is Alcides Escboar for his pair of 2-run doubles.

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• Billy Butler – 2
• Jarrod Dyson – 2
• Lorenzo Cain – 5
• Johnny Giavotella
• Wade Davis
• Norichika Aoki
• Salvador Perez – 5
• Jeremy Guthrie  – 5
• Jason Vargas – 6
• Alex Gordon – 9
• Bruce Chen
• James Shields – 6:10
• Yordano Ventura – 4
• Mike Moustakas
• Danny Duffy – 6
• Omar Infante – 3
• Mike Moustakas – 4
• Alcides Escobar – 5
• Eric Hosmer – 8
• Michael Mariot

The Twins

2nd Baseman Brian Dozier had a rough game. Not only did he go 0-4 at the plate with 1 strikeout (and 1 walk), he committed two errors in a row in the 8th inning. Both runners ended up scoring on Alcides Escobar’s 2nd double.

Up Next

The Royal continue with their 2nd game of their 3-game series against the Twins. The Royals will send the struggling James Shields (8-3, 3.79 ERA) to the mound against Ricky Nolasco (4-6, 5.74 ERA) for Minnesota. Game time is 7:10 CST at Target Field in Minneapolis.

Box

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

2B: A Escobar 2 (23, 1 off J Burton, 1 off Y Pino); A Gordon (23, off Y Pino).
3B: J Dyson (2, off C Thielbar).
HR: S Perez (10, off Y Pino, 6th inn, 0 on, 1 out to Deep LF-CF).
IBB: E Hosmer (2, by M Guerrier).
TB: S Perez 5; A Escobar 4; J Dyson 3; A Gordon 2; M Moustakas 2; E Hosmer; O Infante.
GIDP: B Butler 2 (12).
RBI: A Escobar 4 (28); S Perez (29); O Infante (41).
2-out RBI: A Escobar 4.
Team LOB: 6.
With RISP: 3 for 10.

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

2B: C Parmelee (3, off D Duffy).
TB: C Parmelee 3; E Nunez 2; K Suzuki 2; O Arcia; T Plouffe; J Mauer.
RBI: E Nunez (12).
Team LOB: 11.
With RISP: 1 for 12.
Fielding
DP: 2. B Dozier-E Nunez-J Mauer 2.
PB: K Suzuki (1).
E: B Dozier 2 (7).

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

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

Balks: None.
WP: M Mariot (5).
HBP: None.
IBB: M Guerrier (2; E Hosmer).
Pickoffs: None.