LDN - Sports

Gordon hits grand slam as Royals rout Twins

[August 19, 2016] KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Manager Ned Yost has tried a quartet of pitchers as the Kansas City Royals' No. 5 starter, but without producing much in the way of desired results.

Dillon Gee, however, has clamped down that final rotation slot.

Gee pitched a season-high seven innings and hot-hitting Alex Gordon belted a grand slam as the Royals won their fifth straight, topping the Minnesota Twins 8-1 Thursday night.

"He was really in control," Yost said. "He threw the ball great. He was just executing pitches, changing speeds, keeping the ball in the good part of the strike zone, just a great job, seven strong innings.

"He's kind of filled that (fifth) spot for us, quite effectively. We're getting a pretty good idea that we're going to get a good five, six or seven innings out of him."

Gee (5-6) gave up one run on five hits, four of them singles. He walked one and struck out seven, matching his career high. He claimed his first victory as a starter since May 31.

"It's been frustrating," Gee said. "Because I felt like I've thrown the ball well at times, but the results were not showing and tonight I was able to throw a pretty good game. And the guys did awesome scoring runs and 'Gordo' hit the grand slam. I was able to hold them after that."

In the past four games, the Royals have allowed one run in each -- all on solo home runs.

The Royals knocked out Twins starter Tyler Duffey (8-9) with a five-run fourth that included the Gordon slam.

"Unravelling, that's one word you can use," Twins manager Paul Molitor said of Duffey's fourth.

Kendrys Morales doubled in a run and Eric Hosmer singled in another in a three-run eighth. The other run scored on an error. Cheslor Cuthbert doubled in the inning for his third hit.

Brian Dozier led off the game with his 27th home run, belting a 2-1 Gee pitch 397 feet and over the left-center wall. Dozier has gone deep in six straight games that he has started against the Royals, including a blast on Gee's final pitch in the sixth inning Saturday at Minnesota.

The Royals had an eventful leadoff at-bat in the bottom of the inning. Paulo Orlando put down a bunt, and catcher Kurt Suzuki's throw to first was off the mark, allowing Orlando to take second base. Plate umpire Todd Tichenor, however, ruled Orlando was out for batter's interference.

Yost and first base coach Rusty Kuntz debated the call, but the strongest words came from the dugout and hitting coach Dale Sveum, who was ejected for the 15th time in his career and his second this year.

Duffey retired the first 10 batters before Cuthbert singled to center and Lorenzo Cain walked with one out in the fourth. Hosmer hit a comebacker, and Duffey threw out Cain at second, but Hosmer beat the relay throw to first, preventing an inning-ending double play and that turned out to be a huge play.

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Royals catcher Salvador Perez (13) pours the water cooler on left fielder Alex Gordon (4) after the game against the Minnesota Twins at Kauffman Stadium. Kansas City won the game 8-1. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

Duffey then walked Morales to load the bases, and two pitches later, he hit Salvador Perez in the back of his shoulder, forcing in Cuthbert with the first run.

Gordon quickly cleared the bases with his career third grand slam and his first since July 2, 2013, off the Cleveland Indians' Corey Kluber. Gordon, who has homered in three consecutive contests, extended his hitting streak to a season-high nine games.

"There is a lot that comes into it, but I'm definitely seeing the ball a lot better," Gordon said. "With the results comes a little bit of confidence. I'm just doing a lot better than I've been doing all year. It's good to be in this situation right now."

The Royals batted around in the fourth, which Duffey failed to finish. He was charged with five runs on two hits, three walks and a hit batter in 3 2/3 innings.

"I was fighting myself a little bit and next thing you know, you're out of the game," Duffey said. "I felt really good the first three, obviously. It went way different in the fourth. There are good things to take and then the bad, I know what I did."

NOTES: CF Paulo Orlando, who had been the Royals' hottest hitter, is an 0-for-16 skid. ... 1B/DH Joe Mauer (tight quadriceps) and 3B Miguel Sano (sore right elbow) were back in the Twins' lineup. Sano had not played since Saturday, while Mauer sat out Wednesday. ... The Twins entered Thursday winning 16 of their previous 24 road games, averaging 6.6 runs in that stretch. ... Royals LHP Mike Minor, who has not pitched in the majors this season while recovering from 2015 labrum surgery, will make a Friday rehab start for Triple-A Omaha at Fresno. ... Twins rookie RHP Jose Berrios and Royals RHP Edinson Volquez are the pitching probables for Friday. It will be Berrios' first career start against Kansas City.

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