Trevor Plouffe went 3-for-4 with two doubles, a triple and two RBI to lead the Minnesota Twins to an 8-3 win over the Kansas City Royals, avoiding a sweep in the series finale of a three-game set.
Kurt Suzuki drove in a pair of runs and Chris Colabello, Jason Kubel and Eduardo Escobar picked up an RBI apiece for the Twins, who have won six of nine. Josmil Pinto added a solo home run and scored twice for Minnesota.
Twins starter Phil Hughes (1-1) surrendered nine hits and three runs through six-plus innings on the hill to earn the win.
Alcides Escobar was 2-for-3 with a two-run homer and two runs scored and Omar Infante drove in one for Kansas City, which saw a five-game win streak come to a halt.
Kansas City starter Yordano Ventura (1-1) surrendered four runs over four-plus frames of work, fanning six and allowing four walks.
Minnesota got on the board in the first when Plouffe picked up two RBI on a double to right center. Brian Dozier led off with a single before Joe Mauer walked and Plouffe drove in the pair.
Escobar spotted the Twins another run in the fourth. Aaron Hicks reached base on a fielder’s choice when Suzuki was cut down at second. A throwing error on a pickoff attempt followed by a wild pitch from Ventura sent Hicks to third, and Escobar ripped a two-out line drive to left to plate Hicks.
The Twins stretched the margin to 5-0 in the top of the fifth with a pair of runs. Plouffe led off with a triple and scored on a Colabello single. Colabello was then caught stealing a batter before Pinto smacked his solo shot to the base of the waterfall in left-center.
Kansas City broke through in the bottom half of the fifth. Escobar hit a leadoff double down the left field line before advancing to third on a Nori Aoki flyout. Infante then knocked in Escobar with a humpback liner to left- center.
Minnesota kept rolling in the seventh when Plouffe sparked the offense again, leading off with a double. A batter later Plouffe scored on a Kubel single, which Pinto followed with a walk. Kubel and Pinto came around to score when Suzuki ripped a line drive to left field.
In the seventh, Justin Maxwell hit a leadoff single and Escobar smashed a homer into the Royals bullpen for his first home run of the season to round out the scoring.
