The Kansas City Royals split a day-night doubleheader with the Minnesota Twins Friday at the Metrodome in Minneapolis, with the Royals taking the first game 9-4 and losing the nightcap 5-0.
But the big story involved Minnesota pitcher Scott Baker, who took a perfect game into the 9 th inning of the evening contest, losing the perfect game by walking John Buck, then giving up a one out single to Mike Sweeney, who had just returned from a rehab assignment, to lose the no hit bid.
Baker (8-6) shut down the Royals after allowing the walk and the hit. He struck out 9 batters on the way to the win. Kansas City starter Gil Meche (7-12) had another fine start, allowing 3 runs over 7 innings to take the loss.
In the first game, the Royals scored 3 runs in the 1 st inning, another in the 3 rd , the exploded for 5 runs in the 6 th to dump the Twins 9-4. Ross Gload belted his 6 th home run, a 2-run blast in the 6 th inning.
Kansas City starter Kyle Davies (6-11) pitched 5 innings for the win. He surrendered 3 runs, 2 of them earned, on 4 hits. Matt Garza (3-5) gave up 8 runs, only 4 of them earned, in 5 1/3 innings to take the loss.
The Royals (60-74) and Twins (68-67) play an 11:10 start Saturday morning at the Metrodome. Brandon Duckworth (2-3) goes to the mound for Kansas City against Minnesota’s Carlos Silva (10-13).