Luke Hochevar said the key to Monday night’s 4-2 win over the Twins was that even though he couldn’t locate his fastball early, he was able to settle down and keep the leadoff hitters from getting on later in the game which took pressure off his defense.
Hochevar allowed just two hits over seven scoreless innings to pick up his third win of the year. In the first four innings, Hochevar walked the leadoff hitter twice and gave up a double to start the fourth, but the Twins could never take advantage.
With a 1-0 lead in the sixth, Alberto Callaspo and Miguel Olivo hit back to back homers off Twins starter Nick Blackburn who up to that point allowed just an unearned run.
The Twins came back with two runs in the eighth off John Bale, but Joakim Soria picked up his 10 th save by striking out the side.
Listen to the postgame comments: Luke Hochevar says the key was keeping leadoff hitters off base from middle innings on and Mike Jacobs says the Royals needed Hochevar to start the homestand off right and that losing pitcher Nick Blackburn was tough, too. Ron Gardenhire says the Twins defense was sub-par and Nick Blackburn says back-to-back HRs in the 6th cost him the game, while Twins DH Jason Kubel says the Twins let Hochevar off the hook early