The Royals let a tight game get out of control in a 7-4 loss to the Twins on Tuesday night at Kauffman.
With the score tied 2-2 in the sixth inning, the Twins rallied for five runs to put the game away. Royals’ starter Jose Lima started the inning by walking Nick Punto. Joe Mauer followed up with an RBI double and Jacque Jones drove in Mauer with a single. Lima then hit Lew Ford with a pitch. After getting Matt LeCroy to fly out, Lima was pulled for Jimmy Gobble, but that didn’t help matters. Gobble allowed a three-run homer to Justin Morneau, who was up next. That gave the Twins a 7-2 advantage.
Lima (5-13) was charged with six runs and was the losing pitcher.
John Buck and Matt Stairs hit solo home runs in the third and fourth innings. Denny Hocking drove in two with a single in the seventh inning.
